One Day Too Many
by TigStripe
Summary: FF8 AU, crossover with Kingdom Hearts. SquallxSeifer, implied FujinxQuistis. The storyline of FF8 with a unique twist, as Sora, Riku, and Kairi from Kingdom Hearts screw things up a bit.
1. Chapter 1, Introductions

Disclaimer: I own NONE of the characters used in this fanfic, except for a couple of cameos I may throw in of my own chars for no reason.

Warning: Violence, profanity, sexual innuendos, and…YAOI! so if you're offended, please do not read! (intended for mature audiences)

.oO(One Day Too Many)Oo.

Chapter 1: Introductions...

Seifer reached out with his gunblade and slashed down, across the boy's face. Blood splashed on the ground. Squall looked up and countered, sweeping his blade across Seifer's face in the opposite direction. Seifer fell like a ton of bricks, and Squall clutched his hand to his face before falling to his side, unconscious.

Squall opened his eyes slowly, letting light filter into them gradually. He was staring at the ceiling of Dr. Kadowaki's infirmary.

"Hey, are you awake?" Dr. Kadowaki asked Squall, leaning over him.

"Yeah, I think so," Squall replied.

"How do you feel?" the Garden's doctor asked.

"My head hurts," Squall replied, putting a hand to his face and sitting up.

"You're lucky that the gash wasn't any deeper. It could have ruptured your sinuses," Kadowaki scolded.

"Tell that to Seifer," Squall muttered, looking away.

"That Seifer," Dr. Kadowaki sighed, shaking her head. "He's in the next room over, you know. You did a good number on him, too."

_Good,_ Squall thought.

"Your instructor, Quistis, has sent someone down to bring you two back to class. Make sure that those bandages stay on for the rest of the week. It'll leave a scar, but you should be fine."

The doors to the infirmary opened and a young boy in black shorts and a grey top walked in, his spiked brunette hair bobbing with his every step. His startling blue eyes looked up and down Squall and sighed.

"Get up, you lazy bum. Back to class with you," Sora said playfully, grabbing Squall's wrist. Squall shot him a dirty look and pulled away from him, standing on his own and heading out the door. "Where's Seifer, Doctor?" Sora asked Dr. Kadowaki.

Dr. Kadowaki turned and pointed at the other bed, which was empty. "Now where did that boy get to?" she muttered to herself.

"Don't worry about it," Sora said, pounding himself on the chest. "I'll go find him." Sora turned on his heel and shot out of the infirmary and into the main halls of Balamb Garden.

Sora rounded the corner to head for the Directory when he ran into Kairi, standing in front of the infirmary sign.

"Watch it, moron!" Kairi yelled at him.

"Kairi, sorry, have you seen your boss?" Sora asked politely.

"Not today," Kairi said, "but I'd be damned if I told you where he was if I had. Now beat it, punk, before I write you up for loitering in the halls!"

Sora rolled his eyes and took off at a jog. _Bitch_, Sora thought as he rounded to the directory. Seifer was standing there, chatting it up with Fujin and Raijin, as usual.

"Seifer, you're gonna be late to class," Sora scolded, walking up to the Disciplinary Committee.

Seifer raised an eyebrow. His bandage was already off, revealing a bright red scar across the bridge of his nose. "You're telling the head of the Disciplinary Committee not to be late?" he doubled over into hysterics. Fujin and Raijin weren't far behind.

Sora just made a face at the three of them, guffawing like hyenas. "All I know is that Instructor Trepe will have your neck if you don't get your ass up there," he said, crossing his arms.

"QUISTIS?" Fujin said, ceasing her laughing. There was a twinkle in her eye.

Sora rolled his eyes. Fujin was well known for being the only member of the Disciplinary Committee to also be associated with the clique called the Treppies, the personal fanclub of Instructor Quistis Trepe. "Yeah. Quistis. Now can we go now, Seifer? I don't want to get into trouble."

Seifer stopped his laughing and finally nodded. "Fine, let's go." He turned and headed up the stairs and hit the "Up" button on the elevator. Sora was right behind him, and Fujin was right behind him. Raijin was loitering around the Directory.

As the elevator door opened and the three of them stepped in, Sora asked Seifer, "What do the members of the Disciplinary Committee do during class, anyway? I mean, shouldn't they be _in_ class?"

Seifer shook his head. "Class is for SeeD wannabes. I'm the only member of the D.C. that is aiming for SeeD, so the others just wander around and catch kids outside of class and stuff."

The second floor arrived and the elevator made a dinging noise, opening its doors for the three students to vacate. Once they were off, Sora led the way down the hallway towards Instructor Trepe's room.

All eyes were on the door when it opened and Sora led the way inside. Quistis was at her desk, watching them arrive. When Fujin entered, Quistis stood up and bowed, then respectfully said, "Fujin, please leave my room. This is for students who are attempting to pass the SeeD Exam this evening, not Disciplinary Committee members like yourself."

Fujin smiled, that twinkle in her eye, as she nodded to Quistis, turned on her heel, and left the room. Quistis sighed knowingly and turned to the rest of her students, who were all looking at her with horrified expressions.

"Yes, you heard me correctly," their instructor told them all. "Your SeeD Exam is this evening. For those of you who didn't pass the written exam from three days ago, you shall remain in Garden for study hall. The rest of you shall participate in the Exam."

The bell rang, signaling that class was dismissed.

"Squall, Sora, Seifer, Riku, I would like to see you all up front after everyone is gone," Quistis said as everyone packed up their things and left.

Squall and Seifer glared at each other as they walked up to the front desk. Sora and Riku stood next to the boys and looked at their instructor.

"Squall, Seifer, I am very disappointed that either of you would actually harm the other in a duel," Quistis began.

_I didn't mean to_, Seifer thought.

_It was an action taken in anger,_ Squall said to himself.

"You two are to assist me in the Fire Cavern before the Exam. We've got a couple of things to go over." The instructor's gaze left the gunblade users and went to Sora and Riku. "You two, I will need to escort a new girl around Garden. She just transferred from Trabia Garden this weekend, and she'll be needing someone to show her around. Her name is Selphie, and I want you two to make her feel welcome."

"Got it," Riku said with a nod. Sora nodded as well.

"Dismissed," Quistis said stately. "Squall and Seifer, meet me at the Front Gate in twenty minutes."

The four boys left Quistis' room and entered the second floor hallway, where they stopped to chat.

"I'm sorry, Sei," Squall said softly, not looking at the blonde.

"Well, you should be," Seifer said, crossing his arms. "I didn't deserve to be all scratched up. Mine was a mistake, yours was revenge."

Squall didn't say anything, nor did he look at Seifer.

"C'mere, ya moron," Seifer said, pulling Squall in to him. He delivered a passionate kiss to his brunette lover and they broke apart.

"Apology accepted?" Seifer asked.

Squall, blushing slightly, nodded. He still wouldn't look at Seifer in the face.

"You guys have to go meet some girl, right?" Seifer asked Riku, who nodded.

"Good luck with that," Squall told Sora, who chuckled.

Seifer and Squall headed down the hall, leaving Sora and Riku there on their own.

"Where are we supposed to meet Selphie?" Riku asked Sora. Sore shrugged. Riku thought about asking Quistis, but he had thought that he'd seen Fujin slip inside the room after they'd left. That meant trouble was brewing for anyone who walked in on them.

"Let's head to the Directory," Sora suggested. Riku nodded. The two of them walked down the hall and turned towards the elevator, when Sora was smashed into by a busty brunette. The both went tumbling to the floor.

Riku held a hand out to the girl. "Selphie, I presume?" he asked with a smile.

The girl smiled up at Riku and took his hand. He helped her up. "Yep, that's me. You Sora?"

Riku shook his head. "No, I'm Riku. The pancake is Sora," he said, indicating the slightly-smushed student on the floor.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Selphie cried, bending down and helping Sora up. Riku blushed – he had a face full of Selphie's butt. He turned away and waited until she had stood back up before turning to face them again.

"So, I'm supposed to be shown around by you two, I guess," Selphie smirked. "This place is way bigger than Trabia Garden. I don't know where to start."

"We'll start at the Directory," Riku said, leading the way down to the elevator.

Quistis, Squall, and Seifer ran up to the fiery pit in the center of the Fire Cavern.

"Ready, you two?" Quistis asked.

Squall and Seifer nodded at the same time.

"Once we defeat the creature in here, the Fire Cavern will cease to be active, and Balamb will be safe again. Let's do it!" She unraveled her whip and ran up to the pit.

Flames shot out of the fiery Hell, as well as a monstrous creature of fire and brimstone. Its horns were huge, and it smelled of sulfur.

"Behold, Ifrit!" Quistis said, arming herself.

Squall and Seifer just stared.

Seifer was the first to speak. "Well, shit."

And chapter one...COMPLETE! Read and review if you want to. Chapter two should be on its way soon.


	2. Chapter 2, Preparations

In case you're wondering, yes! Riku, Sora, and Kairi have been aged a little for this story. Riku kind of looks like a white-haired Seifer without the scar and with kinder eyes. Kairi and Selphie are friends. Should I continue? Anyway, I hope you enjoy my rendition of FF8.

* * *

.oO(One Day Too Many)Oo.

* * *

Chapter 2: Preparations

* * *

Ifrit smashed into the ground where Squall had been moments before. Squall leapt into the air and brought his gunblade down in a fierce vertical strike, followed by Seifer's Hyperion in a diagonal slash down the beast's backside. Quistis cracked her whip against the beast's skull, but none of them were prepared for its counterattack: a massive heat wave flew out from Ifrit's body and threw all three of its opponents off of their feet. 

"Damn!" Seifer growled, jumping to his feet. He charged the fiery beast and slashed it violently four times before it was able to turn and retaliate with one massive punch to the gut. Seifer went flying into a rock wall and fell to the ground.

Squall stared for a moment as Seifer's consciousness began to seep out of him, leaving him ripe for the slaughter. Squall felt the passion of revenge build up within him. Seifer was a strong warrior, but he was also Squall's property, and _no one_ treats Squall's property like that!

Squall shot to his feet and charged the fiery tyrant with a massive battle cry. Quistis' eyes went wide as she jumped back, out of his path. Squall leapt into the air, striking Ifrit's chin with his blade. Bringing the blade down on his opponent's skull, Squall slashed vertically, twisted around for a left-horizontal slash, followed up by three rapid blows to the skull, and finally a roundhouse slash across the beast's face. The beast staggered back, away from the gunblade specialist, and finally collapsed to the ground. Its body seemed to melt away into nothing, leaving Quistis staring at the ground, amazed by what she had just witnessed.

Squall jumped over to Seifer, who was coming to very slowly. Squall brought the blonde in for a hug, just glad that he was alive.

"Squall?" Seifer breathed. Squall nodded and brushed the blonde's hair.

"Shh. Don't worry about me. Save your strength."

"Good job, Squall," Quistis said, turning her back to the two. "Now let's get back to Garden. We've got a little paperwork to fill out before the Exam later this evening."

Squall sighed and helped Seifer to his shaky feet. The three of them made their way out of the Fire Cavern, Quistis not bothering to help the other two in their struggles out.

* * *

Riku and Sora looked around the Front Gate, waiting for Quistis to return. They'd been asked by Headmaster Cid himself to have Quistis quiz Selphie so that everyone was kosher going into the Exam later. Selphie was waiting for the Instructor in the Library.

Sora heard someone approaching the two boys. Turning his head, he saw Kairi walking up with a disgruntled teen attached by the shirt collar to her fist. She threw the teen at the two boys and grumbled. "Look after this one, would ya, guys? He was just caught on a T-Board. Again."

The blonde kid with the tattooed face stood up and laughed nervously, waving to Riku and Sora.

"Zell," Sora mumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, guys, what's goin' on?" Zell asked, not ceasing his nervous smile.

"Why do we have to watch him, Kairi?" Riku asked with a sigh.

The girl huffed. "Because I don't have time to deal with him right now. Please, it's only for a couple of minutes."

Just then, Quistis appeared from around a tree. She stepped up to the three boys as Kairi walked away. "What's going on here?" she asked. Sora and Riku explained the Headmaster's wishes to their Instructor.

Quistis nodded after they were done, acknowledging the Headmaster's request. "I'll get right on it," she said. She started to walk past the boys, but she stopped and said over her shoulder, "Go find Squall and Seifer. They should be nearby. Seifer was injured during our little outing, and Squall's helping him back to Garden."

"Sei's hurt?" Zell's eyes went wide and he dashed out of Garden's Gate, into the wilderness. Sora and Riku were right behind him.

* * *

Seifer growled as Zell sat down on the bench next to him. Dr. Kadowaki had administered a couple Cure-style spells to Seifer's backside, healing him over the course of a couple hours. Squall was in his dorm, getting some rest after lugging his boyfriend back to Garden by himself. Sora and Riku were at the Directory with Selphie, trying to explain it one more time to her. Selphie had aced her quiz and Quistis had been happy to report that she was able to participate in the SeeD mission that evening.

But Seifer and Zell weren't worried about the others.

"Get away from me, Chicken-wuss," Seifer growled, averting his eyes from the blonde.

Zell laughed. "One of these days, I'll get used to you calling me that. So, Sei, what are you going to do once you're a SeeD, eh?"

Seifer's head snapped around and his hand shot up to Zell's throat in a chokehold. "Don't call me Sei," he said in an almost inaudible whisper. "Only Squall can call me that. Got it, chickie?"

Zell 'urk!'ed and nodded. Seifer let the younger teen go and turned his back to him, but didn't move from the bench. Zell massaged his throat and gave Seifer a 'Go to Hell!' look.

"You're not nice, you know that?" Zell remarked, not easing up his glare.

"I'm so glad you noticed," Seifer said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I wonder why Squall likes you?" Zell said, thinking aloud. "You're no Prince Charming when it comes to personality."

Seifer sighed and stood up. He started to make his way across the hall, towards the Directory.

"But look at that ass go!" Zell cried out after Seifer with a laugh.

Seifer held up the bird without looking back.

Riku and Sora watched as Seifer went past the Directory, the bird flying high over his shoulder. Their gaze followed where he was coming from, to see Zell in hysterics on a bench.

"Damn that Zell," Riku muttered. "He's always hitting on Seifer."

Selphie looked at the two in shock. "You mean he's gay?" she asked, astounded.

Sora nodded. "Zell, Seifer, and Squall are all gay. Seifer and Squall have been together as a couple for as long as anyone can remember, and Zell's always been the fifth wheel of the relationship. He's got a crush on both of the others, but neither of them seem to return the attention."

"It's sad, really," Riku muttered, his gaze still on Zell's shaking form. "Zell's turned it into a game to see how many times he can irritate Seifer or Squall a day with his flirting. I wonder what the count is right now."

Selphie giggled and shook her head, looking at Zell. "He is cute. Too bad he's gay. I'd go out with him."

Riku shrugged. "Yeah, there are quite a few disappointed girls around Garden."

"Disappointed about what, Riku?" a woman's voice called from behind the silver-haired teen.

Turning, Riku was looking into Xu's face pretty face. His heart quickened and he backed up, right into Sora, who nudged his friend out of his trance.

"Never mind, Xu," Sora said, pushing his friend off of him.

Xu nodded. "I see you are prepared for the Exam," she said, eyeing the three teens' Garden uniforms. They nodded in response. "They should be announcing the teams here in a moment. Good luck. We need some good SeeD lately. There have been some bad…SeeD, if you'll excuse the pun, lately."

Riku laughed like it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard, issuing disturbed looks from Sora, Selphie, and Xu.

The intercom chime sounded. "All students participating in this evening's SeeD Exam should report to the Directory immediately," the Headmaster's secretary's voice announced over the loudspeaker. "I repeat…"

Squall sauntered up and Seifer found him rather quickly. Zell appeared from his bench as well, standing off to the side, but keeping his eyes on the loving couple.

Quistis appeared with a clipboard in front of the Directory as other students arrived in the hallway as well. A total of twenty-four students were assembled for the Exam.

"I shall now list off the teams for the Exam in the following order: Team Leader, then his or her two supporting students. The role of Team Leader is very important, and the Leader of each Team shall be weighted more heavily upon deciding who shall be admitted as SeeD. Team A will be Aria, Demson, and Madison, Aria being the Team Leader." Quistis proceeded to read off each individual team.

"…Team D will be Seifer, Riku, and Zell," Quistis announced. Seifer shot Squall a worried look. The listing continued. "…Team G will be Squall, Sora, and Selphie. Team H will be Marcus, Renee, and Leya. Are there any questions about Team Assignment or Team Leadership?" Not a hand raised itself among the students, but Seifer and Squall were eyeing each other with worried glances.

"If not, then you are dismissed to the Parking Garage, where you will be escorted to Balamb. Board the vessels in the Harbor and you will be briefed onboard," Xu explained. "You have an hour to be in the Garage, and two hours to be in the boats in the Harbor. Dismissed."

As the crowd broke, Zell skidded to a halt in front of Squall and Seifer. "Well, well, guess who I get to be a partner with?" he asked mockingly with a huge grin on his face.

"You want me to chop your balls off, chickie?" Seifer demanded.

Zell quieted for a moment and noticed Quistis and Xu talking off to the side. He decided to go annoy them one last time as a student.

Sora and Selphie appeared next to the gunblade users. "Zell's a bit out of hand, isn't he?" Sora quipped.

Seifer shrugged. "I dunno. I think it's kind of cute how he continues to try, despite the fact that we're both spoken for."

Squall didn't say anything, as usual. He just kind of glanced over at Zell with a gleam in his eye.

"Aye," Selphie sighed. "Zell's not always like that, is he? He could come off as annoying to most people like that."

Sora shook his head. "No, normally he's just a lighthearted kid who loves to crack jokes. It's just around these two that he gets all pushy and in-your-face."

Squall nodded, affirming this statement.

"We've got fifty-five minutes to get to the Garage," Seifer said, nudging Squall. "I, uh, wouldn't suppose you would want to try to find some time for a little something extra? I mean, our last time as students, right?" the blonde grinned.

Squall blushed, but returned the grin. The two gunblade specialists jogged off towards the dormitories. Sora blushed and Selphie burst into hysterics.

"How…cute," Selphie laughed.

"Kind of gross, if you ask me." Sora made a face.

"Oh, you're no fun!" Selphie pushed Sora playfully.

"I'm heading to the Cafeteria for something to eat before the Exam," Riku said, passing by the duo. "Want to come?"

Sora nodded and Selphie gave an excited "Sure!" before following the silver-haired kid off.

* * *

O.o Well, well, well…things are getting a little steamy in the Garden, eh? Muahaha…if you think you're getting a lemon, you're way offbase. This is a T fic. (evil grin) Read and review if you're into that kind of thing. 


	3. Chapter 3, Test

.oO(One Day Too Many)Oo.

* * *

Chapter 3: Test

* * *

Sora and Selphie met in the Garage in the northeast block of Garden ten minutes before they had to be out of the building. Squall and Seifer still hadn't shown their hides, so Zell and Riku were waiting as well.

"This is nuts," Riku muttered. "I wanted to be out of here twenty minutes ago."

"I went and knocked on Squall's door a minute ago, right before coming here," Sora said, his arms crossed. "You, uh, don't want to know what I heard when I knocked."

Zell laughed, but didn't say anything. Selphie giggled. "They're still goin' at it, huh? That's almost an hour."

Just then, the Garage's inner door opened, revealing the two gunblade specialists. Seifer had a comb and was raking it through his slick blonde hair and Squall was readjusting the collar on his Garden uniform. Seifer was in his Garden uniform as well, but he had his black gloves and white trench coat on over it.

Zell went up to Seifer and reached a hand out towards his face. "Hey, Seifer, you've got a little somethin', yeah, there, got it," he said, wiping something off of Seifer's cheek.

Everyone stifled a laugh, knowing that Seifer would decapitate all of them if they so much as snickered.

"Ass," Seifer replied.

"We need to get out of here," Sora said. "We're the last two teams still in Garden."

"Yeah, thanks to Mr. Miss Horndog," Riku said, giving Seifer a glance.

"I'm not holding you back from getting in the car," Seifer sneered. Riku nodded and opened the door. Zell got in, followed by Riku.

Sora and Selphie followed suit in their team's car, leaving the lovebirds standing alone.

"Don't let him get to you," Squall muttered to his blonde lover. "If he gets too out of hand, just neuter him."

Seifer laughed. "Alright, then. I'll see you after the Exam." He gave Squall a quick peck on the lips and got in the car through the same door that Riku did, forcing Zell to sit at the opposite door. Squall got in his team's car, and the two vehicles pulled out of Garden.

* * *

The boats were ready for them when the two teams got to Balamb Harbor, and they quickly boarded and settled themselves in. There was a vidscreen in the cabin of the ship, and that was what Xu was using to brief the group.

"Everyone please be seated," Xu said, issuing everyone in every boat to settle down and pay attention to the vidscreens. "I am going to explain your mission. Please pay attention.

"As you all are well aware, the superpower Galbadia has been waging war on Timber and Dollet for quite some time, now, and Dollet is finally becoming fed up. Dollet has established a type of militia to stand up to the Galbadian forces, but it doesn't seem to be working. Galbadian forces are moving in on Dollet as we speak.

"That is why we, the students and SeeD at Balamb Garden, were hired. Our groups shall enter Dollet and rid the town of any Galbadian soldiers that show their blue-skinned hides inside the town limits. Our SeeD are provided as backup to the Garden Exam students, in case of emergency or failure to follow orders. There should be no instances where the student groups go outside of the town limits. If the groups encounter any kind of hostility that they cannot handle, the SeeD shall move in and finish up the job.

"This is very important: the order to evacuate takes priority. As soon as you hear the order, head for the beaches. As a neutral entity in the Galbadian War, Garden is subject to much hype, and we must avoid any negative propaganda if at all possible. Galbadian soldiers that see us as supporters of the Dollet cause may spread rumors that Garden is supporting outside of neutral affiliates. We cannot allow this to happen, so the order to evacuate must be taken seriously.

"Remember that you are representing Balamb Garden, one of three elite SeeD training facilities on the face of the planet. Do not do anything that would cause Garden to receive a bad name, nor must you act in haste to cause our mission to fail. This is a real SeeD mission, so you must be careful. Good luck, students, and I hope to see each and every one of you safely home after the Exam is over."

The vidscreen turned off and everyone let out a cheer. Xu was a very popular administrator at Balamb Garden, and everyone tended to live by her word instead of the Headmaster's. There was just something about the woman that could instill confidence in the students of Balamb Garden. Especially Riku.

"Riku, you okay in there?" Zell asked, knocking the silver-haired boy in the head. Riku shook his head and laughed, coming back to reality.

"So we're here to mop up the Galbadian soldiers out of Dollet?" Seifer commented, standing up and looking out the porthole. "Lame-ass mission, if you ask me."

"Yeah, well, you can't pick your tests, you know," Zell said, turning his head away from the older blonde.

* * *

Squall stood on the top of his team's vessel, examining the plans for beaching the students on the Dollet shoreline. They would be at Dollet's coast in a matter of minutes. Squall couldn't help but wonder how Seifer would do on this Exam. It was Seifer's third SeeD Exam, but the others had been failures due to his Team Leader. This would be his first Exam where he was a Leader, so maybe he'd realize what it takes to be a SeeD for once.

"Squall, get inside," Sora cried, peeking his head from the hatch on the top of the ship. "We need to be ready to exit from the front."

Squall nodded and followed the younger brunette inside the ship, closing the door tightly.

The Garden ships sped across the ocean's surface, disrupting the magnificent reflection of the moon on the still water. As the boats got closer to the shoreline, the students of Balamb Garden grew more and more nervous.

Suddenly, Squall's ship felt a great thunk and lurch, smashing back into the water after hitting a concrete damn wall and vaulting off of it. The boat crashed roughly into the shore, but it was still in the water. The front opening slid to open, revealing Squall, Sora, and Selphie in their Garden uniforms with their weaponry ready. Squall shouldered his gunblade before lowering it and charging onto the beach, Sora's keyblade at the ready, and Selphie's nunchaku primed as well.

The three of them charged ahead, onto the beach, and up the stairs into the main streets of Dollet. Squall could see other Garden students rushing ahead as well, but he didn't see the white trench coat anywhere, nor did he see Riku's silvery hair or Zell's spikey-haired ass. He knew that the mission came first, so he charged ahead, down the main street of Dollet, with Sora and Selphie behind him, but he couldn't help worry about the other three.

A Galbadian soldier leveled a gun at Squall and shouted, "Freeze!"

Selphie was the first to react. She used her nunchaku as a whip, releasing one end of it at just the right moment to send its blunt handle into the soldier's head. The soldier fell unconscious after the brief whack to the head.

Three more soldiers rushed out of their hiding places, surrounding the team. Sora, Selphie, and Squall stood with their backs to each other, ready to charge.

Suddenly, lightning struck one soldier, a ball of flame connected a second in the chest, and a rain of ice crippled the last. Squall's team looked around for the source.

A fellow Garden student named Marcus Knight and his team rushed up to Squall and his own team. "Be more careful," Marcus chastised, and the three of them ran off in a random direction.

Squall led the group down to the town square, taking out soldiers as they went. When they reached the square, they stopped and took a quick glance around. "Split up and take out any that might be hiding here," Squall ordered. Sora and Selphie nodded and split to the opposite corners of the square.

After they reported back with nothing, Squall tapped his foot and took on his 'deep thought' appearance. "Now what do we do?" he wondered aloud.

A shrill whistle sounded and Squall's group cringed, looking towards the direction of the whistle. A Galbadian soldier was waiting on his comrades just down the street. The Garden team hid behind a dumpster and peeked out, spying. The soldier started quickly down the street, followed by quite the handful of soldiers.

After they had disappeared from view, Squall stepped out and observed the direction in which they were racing.

"I wonder where they're going?" Selphie asked no one in particular, tilting her head and staring down the road after them.

"There," Squall said, pointing into the sky. The other two students followed his gaze to the old Dollet Communications Tower.

"The Comm. Tower?" Sora said bluntly. "You sure?"

"Sure seems like it," Selphie piped. "I wonder why they're headed there, though?"

"I don't know, and I don't care," Squall said, crossing his arms and looking down the road. "It's outside of Dollet, and therefore isn't our concern."

"HELP!"

The group flinched at the scream and looked down the road towards the communications tower. Two Galbadian soldiers had a woman in their grasp. She had pretty blonde hair pulled into a bun and dark-rimmed glasses, and a Garden's instructor uniform on.

"Quistis!" Sora cried.

Seifer and company ran through Squall's field of vision, following the two soldiers and their Instructor.

"Seifer!" Squall cried. He took off at a run down the road, Sora and Selphie hot on his tail.

Squall's group followed Seifer's across the bridge outside of Dollet, into the mountains. After a short, quick hike, the Squall caught up to Seifer and stopped.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Where's Quistis?"

"Either vanished into thin air, or they've already taken her all the way up to the Comm. Tower," Seifer replied in a growl. Two Galbadian soldiers lay dead in their presence.

"We got stopped by those two," Riku said, motioning towards the two bodies. "As obvious attempt at a diversion."

"Well it worked," Sora remarked, shaking his head.

"And why are we standing here?" Selphie asked the others. She shouldered her massive nunchaku. "We have to get the Instructor back, you guys!"

The combination of the two Garden teams rushed up the massive staircase and into view of the Dollet Communications Tower, just over the edge of a cliff. There, in front of the tower, was a massive tank, apparently unmanned, sitting silently on guard of the way inside. Quistis and her captors were nowhere in sight.

"Damn, what is that thing?" Seifer growled.

"Apparently some sort of guard," Sora said, a tad unnecessarily.

"We need to get inside to see if the Instructor is in there," Selphie reminded them.

"That means that we'd need a distraction," Zell added.

"Leave that to us," Seifer said.

"Huh? Say what?" Zell cried.

"Aw, what's wrong, Chicken-wuss? Don't wanna help Squall get inside to check on the Instructor?" Seifer smirked.

Zell seethed in rage. "Now's not the time to be arguing," Selphie said with a tap on both of their shoulders.

"Don't worry about the tank," Riku said. "We'll keep it busy, provided the thing actually has a driver." He shouldered the Oblivion, his dark keyblade. "You guys ready?" he asked his teammates.

Zell punched one fist into the other and grinned. Seifer shouldered Hyperion and nodded. The three of them turned and leapt off of the cliff in front of the tower, landing smoothly in front of the giant machine. Preferring the more stealthy approach, Squall and his team rounded the boulders to their right and snuck in behind the tank.

The tank was unmanned, but it was an automatic machine, and it detected Seifer's group as they landed in front of it. It revved up and charged them. Riku and Zell dodged left while Seifer buckled right, twirling into a giant slash of his gunblade that severed a small chaingun on the side of the tank. Riku jumped into the air and brought Oblivion down on the tank, driving it deep into the lightly armored treads. Zell, using his fists, was a little underpowered to attack a steel tank directly, so he flipped up on top of the turret itself and charged the sensory windows, hoping that his leather gloves were thick enough to protect his hands from any flying glass shards he might create.

Squall, Sora, and Selphie snuck into the tower while the other three were distracting the sensors of the tank. It was surprisingly dark inside the tower, but the three students noticed the elevator in the center of the floor. Stepping onto it, it automatically sensed their weight and began to rise.

"This elevator's pretty cool!" Selphie said with a giggle.

"Careful, don't fall off," Sora said jokingly.

Selphie laughed. "Oh yeah right, like I would."

The elevator took the three Garden students to the roof of the tower, where they noticed a Galbadian commander tinkering with a rather large circuitry board. Squall drew his gunblade and leveled it at the commander.

"Where's the Garden faculty you kidnapped?" the student demanded.

The commander looked over his shoulder and stood up. Selphie and Sora readied their weapons as he raised a hand and snapped his fingers.

"Agh! Let go of me!" Quistis was dragged out by a Galbadian lieutenant, bound at the wrists and ankles.

"Instructor!" Selphie cried, keeping her nunchaku at the ready.

"Pull back the Garden backup and we'll let her go into Garden custody," the commander ordered.

"We don't have that authority," Squall replied.

"Then find someone who does!" the commander cried, stomping the floor. "If you don't have someone in ten minutes, she goes over the edge!" He pointed out into the open air over the edge of the tower's roof.

"Commander Biggs, I don't think you should threaten them," the lieutenant said shakily.

"Shut up, Wedge! I know what I'm doing!" the commander replied.

Squall rushed forward and slashed with his gunblade. The commander ducked, just barely avoiding the student's blade. He popped back up, giving Squall an uppercut to the jaw. Squall stumbled back, but was otherwise unhurt. Sora charged the commander, who fired a few gunshots at the student, but missed horribly, and Sora brought the keyblade down on the commander's helmet. Selphie leapt into the air from beside Sora, landing with her nunchaku around the commander's throat.

No one moved.

"Release the Instructor and we'll let you live. How's that for an ultimatum?" Selphie growled into the commander's ear.

Quistis sighed. "Nice work," she said as Wedge untied her after Biggs had given the order. She jumped over to Squall and faced the Galbadian soldiers with a harsh stare. Her eyes stayed cold as her hand went up to her ear, where an earpiece was stashed.

After a silent moment, she nodded. "We've been ordered to pull out," she told the students. She made a motion to Selphie and Sora. "Bring the Commander along until we're out of here."

Selphie nodded and started to practically drag Biggs along. Wedge followed unwillingly. The group boarded the elevator and took it down to the floor level, where they unloaded and stepped outside.

Seifer, Riku, and Zell were sitting on top of a nonfunctional tank, chatting. They straightened up when they saw the Instructor and the others, jumping to the ground and giving a salute.

"I'm glad you're safe, Instructor," Riku said.

"No time for that," Quistis said with a quick shake of her head. "We've been ordered by Garden to pull out immediately. We're to assemble at the boats at 1800 hours."

"That gives us thirty minutes!" Sora cried. Quistis nodded. "Let's get going, then!" Sora said, taking off with the others around the boulders.

Selphie released Biggs and followed the Garden group.

"Think they'll get away with this, do they?" Biggs muttered, tapping a couple of buttons on his armguard. "Get 'em." Wedge shuddered as heavy clunking noises sounded as the Galbadia secret weapon approached the tower.

The Garden group reached the massive staircase leading up to the DCT before they felt the vibrations of huge, thundering steps.

"What the hell...?" Zell was the first to turn and look. "WOAH!"

The group turned and saw their pursuer, a massive, four-legged spiderbot. Its scanners were already locked onto them.

"Get outta here!" Sora cried. The seven of them raced down the staircase as fast as they dared and out onto the bridge connecting Dollet to the mountain path.

A whistling sound was heard overhead, and the spiderbot smashed into the bridge, facing the group and blocking their only way back to the beach.

"Shit!" Seifer cried.

Squall looked behind them. There was nothing behind them. "Follow me," he said, annoyingly calm, considering their circumstances. He turned and headed back the way he had come. Although confused, no one questioned the student's decision, and followed Squall back towards the mountain path.

Just as Squall had anticipated, the spiderbot leapt into the air to intercept them again. "TURN!" he screamed. The group turned on its heels and went underneath the machine in the opposite direction, leaving it behind on the bridge.

The group reached the town square and didn't see the machine chasing them. "How much longer?" Squall gasped.

"Ten minutes," Quistis said, looking nervous. "We can't get left behind. Let's go."

The group charged their way back down the main streets of Dollet. Selphie tripped and the others stopped to help her up – that's when Zell heard it.

"Not again!" he cried, eyeing the massive spider-like robot crunching down the street after them.

"Run for it, we're almost there!" Seifer cried. The group sprinted down the street again, barely making it off of the boardwalk before the massive machine landed heavily where they had been.

Charging across the sand of the beach proved more difficult than it seemed for some of the students. Everyone but Squall reached the boat. Selphie and Seifer turned to urge him on. Squall leapt into the air, but the spiderbot was on him faster than he could have planned.

With one massive swing of the bot's leg, it would all be over for Squall.

Just as the leg began to fall towards the student, bullets pierced its sensors, throwing it offbalance. The chaingun mounted on the top of the ship was being fired at an alarming rate, filling the bot with lead faster than it could recover. Up top, Xu couldn't help but scream in excitement as she triggered the weapon, continuing to pump the machine with bullet holes. Squall landed inside the boat as it began to ship out, but the doors were still open.

The Galbadian machine fell to the ground and detonated, littering the beach with debris. One specific piece sailed through the air and, with unbelievable accuracy, struck Squall in the leg while he was trying to stand. Crying out in pain, Squall collapsed to the boat floor as the doors finished shutting, Selphie and Seifer bending down to tend to him.

Once the doors were shut, the boat picked up speed and was out of sight of the beach within moments, heading safely back to Balamb.

* * *

Well, there's chapter 3. I know, it's excruciatingly long-ass compared to the other two, but what more do you expect from _this_ part of the game? Who's gonna be a SeeD? You'll just have to wait and find out, won'tcha? (cackles evilly) Read and reply, please, I like those. 


	4. Chapter 4, Results

.oO(One Day Too Many)Oo.

* * *

Chapter 4: Results

* * *

Dr. Kadowaki met the groups of students at Balamb Harbor just in case any had been seriously injured during the Exam. She didn't expect what she was shown.

"Doctor, please follow me," Quistis said urgently. Kadowaki nodded and rushed after Quistis into the boat in which she had been traveling back to Balamb. The Garden's doctor gasped when she saw a chunk of debris sticking out of Squall's leg. The teen had passed out from pain halfway back to Balamb.

The doctor inspected it closely, tugging at the pant leg to get a good look at the wound itself. After a moment, she stood up. "We must get him to Garden's infirmary immediately."

As Riku and Sora stooped to pick up Squall's body and hoist him out of the boat and into the Garden car waiting for them, Seifer grabbed the doctor by the shoulders and looked at her deeply, his eyes filled with worry.

"Squall's gonna be okay, right?" he pleaded.

The Garden's head doctor sighed. "I know you're worried, Seifer, but we can't rush judgments. Come by the infirmary later. I'm sure he'll be fine." She dislodged herself from Seifer's grip and got into the car with Squall. Sora and Riku entered the car as well. The Garden vehicle backed up and turned on the docks, heading back towards Garden.

Seifer didn't say anything. He just stared at the car as it rolled away.

"Seifer?" Selphie said, prodding the older boy in the arm. Seifer smacked her hand away and charged down the street, off of the docks and into the heart of Balamb, after the Garden car.

Quistis sighed. "Such an unfortunate accident," she said, looking out at the ocean.

Selphie didn't say anything. She was watching Seifer dash off.

Zell was, as well, but he couldn't keep his mouth shut. "Damn. I can't believe Squall got hit like that. We should get back to Garden too, eh?"

Quistis nodded. Xu appeared out of a boat and walked up to the others. "Great job, everyone," she said with a smile. None of the other three smiled back at her. "Uh oh, what's wrong?" she asked.

* * *

Seifer waited outside of the infirmary, far past nervous, straight into stressed. He paced back and forth in front of the door, waiting for it to open and the doctor to arrive and tell him that everything would be okay. Zell was sitting on a nearby bench, watching the older boy pace.

Sora and Riku leaned against the hallway wall, eyes on the infirmary door. Selphie had been asked by Quistis to help her with something, but she had assured the others that she would be back as soon as she could.

"What's taking so long?" Seifer demanded, banging his fist on a wall, causing everyone in the hallway to jump.

"Be patient, Seifer," Zell said soothingly. "He did get hit by shrapnel, after all."

"Don't talk to me," Seifer said, giving Zell a 'go to Hell' look. Zell sighed and turned to stare at the wall across the hall from him.

"They'll be announcing the results of the SeeD Exam soon," Sora said offhandedly, looking out towards the main hall of the Garden.

"Who gives a damn?" Seifer retorted, growling as he paced.

"I, for one, do," Riku replied sternly, not giving the upset blonde the chance to give him a nasty look by looking at him. "I want to know if I made SeeD."

Just then, the infirmary doors opened with a whooshing noise, causing every head in the hallway to turn to look. Dr. Kadowaki's assistant was standing there.

"Well?" Seifer stammered, eyes wide and hopeful.

"Squall is fine, but his leg has had permanent damage done to it. We'll have to undergo surgery and replace his shin with a metal plate, as well as the bottom half of his kneecap. His right leg will be swollen for at least two weeks, and he will need to go through physical therapy. But he's fine."

Seifer collapsed on the ground out of relief. Sora smiled and Riku nodded. Zell grinned and jumped up, shadowboxing.

"Glad to hear it," Quistis said, appearing from the main hall with Selphie at her side. "I want everyone to head upstairs for the announcement of the results of the Exam. They should be read in about ten minutes in the second floor hallway."

"I'm not going anywhere," Seifer replied, standing. "I want to stay with Squall."

Quistis nodded, expecting such a reaction. She quietly said, "Seifer, I know it's painful to have one that you love be hurt like this, but please, go about your normal life. Squall will be fine after a couple of weeks. Please report to the second story hallway with the others."

Seifer grumbled something and stalked down the corridor along with the others.

Just then, Dr. Kadowaki's voice shouted from the infirmary. "Ethan, get in here!"

The assistant turned and opened the infirmary doors, stepping inside. "Yes, doctor?"

"Come take a look at this," Dr. Kadowaki instructed.

Ethan walked over to Squall's bed and immediately noticed what the doctor was referring to.

A strange blue glow was surrounding Squall's leg. The laceration done by the shrapnel was closing itself, healing completely and without a scar. Sickening popping noises were audible as Squall's bones realigned themselves.

"But that's not possible," Ethan whispered, his eyes wide.

"Yes it is," someone said behind them. Turning, they saw Quistis, who walked up to stand beside Ethan. "I knew it. Squall is under the protection of a Guardian Force."

"A Guardian Force?" Dr. Kadowaki laughed. "My dear Quistis, those are mere legends! They are simple urban myths."

"And you would explain this in medical terms as what?" Quistis asked, eyeing the doctor. "I have believed Squall to have been protected by a Guardian Force for two years now. The Blue Light of Healing – Shiva. Squall is protected by the goddess of ice herself."

"I don't understand it," Ethan said in a whisper, shaking his head.

"I don't either, but it is true," Quistis said, not looking at either medical officers. Her gaze continued to rest on the sleeping Squall. "Squall is going to be much better off than we thought."

* * *

Kairi, Fujin, and Raijin were assembled upstairs to keep the SeeD Exam students under control, and they were doing a half-assed job at it, as the students were jumping around and having a grand time, waiting for the Exam results. Seifer and the others joined the crowd upstairs in the hallway, only to be swamped by the DC.

"Are you hurt?" Kairi asked her boss. Seifer shook his head but didn't say anything else. When he turned away from the DC, Kairi looked at Sora and asked, "What's up with him?"

"Squall's been injured," Sora replied in a whisper. "Seifer's taking it pretty hard. Shrapnel to the leg," he added when he saw Kairi's horrified face.

"By Hayne. Is he going to be okay?" she asked.

"It would appear so," Riku answered. "Ethan said that he'll be swollen for about two weeks, and then he'll have to go through physical training, but other than that, he should be okay. They're going to have to replace about half of his leg's skeletal tissue, though."

Kairi cringed. "Tough luck," she said a little harshly, but her face was soft. "I hope Seifer's okay, though."

"He'll get over it, I think," Sora muttered.

"Attention!" a man in a yellow hat and red suspenders ordered from the elevator corridor. Every student in the hallway stopped horsing around and stood up against the opposite wall in anticipation. The DC stood next to the administrator, not looking at the list of names he had in his hands.

"The following students have been accepted by Garden Administration to graduate Garden as new members of SeeD," the administrator said, looking down at the paper.

"Zell Dincht."

"OOOOOOH YEEEEAH!" Zell cried, jumping up and down and laughing. He made a 'see ya!' motion with his hands and ran out of the hallway towards the elevator.

"Selphie Tilmitt."

Selphie clapped her hands over her mouth to suppress her scream, which came out muffled and happy. She grinned a cheesy grin and twirled into a curtsey at the administrator, who ignored her. She sped after Zell.

"Sora Mayon."

Sora grinned just as cheesily as Selphie and silently followed the other two down to the elevator.

"Riku Gilhart."

Riku coolly stepped forward, following the others without emotion on his face.

"Seifer Almasy."

Kairi, Fujin, and Raijin let out cheers as Seifer stepped forward, not worried about being a SeeD, but more concerned about Squall's health. His eyes shone with worry.

"Squall Leonhart has also been admitted as a member of SeeD," the administrator concluded, "but he has sustained an injury to his leg and will be unable to participate in the SeeD Ball tomorrow evening. Keep him in your prayers for a full recovery. All members of the Disciplinary Committee need to meet with me in the corridor outside of this hallway. That is all." The administrator turned and joined the new SeeD members in the hallway, followed by the DC.

"Please head up to the Headmaster's Office on the third floor to receive your notification of becoming a full member of SeeD," the administrator instructed.

Everyone piled into the elevator, leaving the administrator to speak with the DC alone on the elevator bridge. Riding the elevator up a floor never seemed to last so long to Selphie or Zell. When they finally removed themselves from the elevator, they were greeted by Xu. Riku immediately blushed as she looked each of them over.

"Congrats," she said with a smile. She looked at Seifer, her eyes turned into worry. "Don't worry, Seifer, he's fine. Better than you expect, actually," she added with another smile. "Now, please, head into the Headmaster's office."

Confused, Seifer led the way through the large bronzed double-doors into Cid's office. Seifer's eyes went wide.

Squall stood beside the Headmaster, watching the entering students.

"Squall!" Seifer cried. He charged forward and smashed into Squall, who caught him in a hug.

"Sei, I'm fine," Squall laughed.

"I knew that, but you're not hurt, either!" Seifer exclaimed.

Everyone in the office laughed.

"Alright, everyone," Headmaster Cid said after a good laugh, "that's enough. Calm down, it's time to initiate you into SeeD."

The six of them stood at attention in a single line across the Headmaster's office at attention.

"Welcome and congratulations," Cid began. "You six are now the newest members of Balamb Garden's elite force of mercenaries and hands-for-hire, SeeD. As members of SeeD, you will be placed around the world in various missions that will strive for peace, neutrality, equality, protection, and other various forms of necessity. As SeeD members, you shall receive a salary based upon your SeeD ranking at allotted intervals, and will be set as prime examples for the younger and less fortunate students to follow. I'm pleased to shake each and every one of your hands. Welcome, SeeDs, to Balamb Garden, your new base of operations, not just your home."

The Headmaster went down the line and shook the hand of each of the new members of SeeD. When that was done, he came back to the front of the group. "And now that the formalities are over, I want to discuss the real meaning of SeeD."

An administrator made a noise off to the side, and Cid gave him a nervous look. "Err, disregard that remark, SeeD. I'm sorry, but I must attend to some matters at hand. I do hope that you can find the elevator on your own." Cid bowed and turned to his desk as the group turned on its heels and headed out the door.

* * *

"Okay, so I wanna know how you're up and walking," Seifer told his boyfriend as they descended to the first floor in the elevator.

Everyone else agreed. Squall shrugged. "I honestly don't know. Quistis and Dr. Kadowaki wouldn't tell me."

"They had told us that you were in need of surgery and physical therapy," Sora told the brunette. "Apparently something happened in there that we don't know about."

Everyone uttered their agreement, including Squall.

When the elevator opened, they stepped out to a hallway full of Garden members who began to cheer for them, applauding and whistling and making all sorts of noises.

Quistis and Xu were there as well, cheering along with the students.

"Quite the warm welcome," Riku laughed.

The group made its way down into the crowd, where they began to mingle and celebrate as a school.

* * *

Whew, my chapters are getting long-winded. Ok, so I need to know what you guys think! Who should I have as Edea's Knight? Seifer, Riku, someone else? If you've got any ideas, Review with them or email me! Read and review, please, because I like to wear reviews as a cool sailor's hat. 


	5. Chapter 5, Party

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed to this story already! XD You are inspiring me to continue this one very quickly. I must be doing something right – everyone keeps saying they really enjoy this one.

Oh, and about Rinoa, I've gotten several different, mixed ideas on what to do with her. Unlike a lot of FF8 fans, Rinoa's actually one of my favorite characters. Therefore, she will _not_ be run over by rabid chocobos, nor will I make her into a lying, deceitful bitch.

Just so you know. (smile)

* * *

.oO(One Day Too Many)Oo.

* * *

Chapter 5: Party

* * *

Seifer and Squall looked at their new dorms, straight across the hall from each other. They were one bed, kitchen, and den with a bathroom, luxuriously large and well adorned with fashionable furniture and decorated with the most popular artwork of the day. Squall ignored the decorations, and Seifer took them down and put up his own decorations of delicate and deadly weaponry from throughout the years, including his first gunblade, the Eviscerator.

"Better," the blonde SeeD said, taking another gander around his dorm. Finally halfway satisfied, he turned and headed into the dormitory hallways. Squall was leaning against the wall directly outside his dorm door.

"I wonder why they didn't just give us a double-dorm and let us live together," Squall said without looking at his lover. "I mean, we'll spend more time in each other's dorm than our own anyway," he added with a sly grin.

Seifer laughed and was about to reply when Selphie came shooting down the hallway with a water gun in her hand, aimed behind her. She was screaming and laughing, firing the watery weapon off at a trailing Sora, who was continually being hit, but he was laughing just as loudly all the same.

Riku and Zell walked up from the other direction and stopped at the two lovebirds, careful not to be run over by the dueling brunettes.

"Nice dorms," Riku said with a smirk.

"Nice? They kick ass!" Zell said with a laugh. He gave Seifer a sly glance. "I'll bet that I'll be spending more time in dorms that aren't mine, don't you think, Seifer?"

"I think you should take it up with Selphie before you go sleeping in her bed," Seifer said without looking at the younger blonde. Everyone but Zell laughed.

"I'm glad to see that you're all enjoying your new living arrangements," Quistis said, walking down to the hall to meet them. "Tonight is the SeeD induction party. Wear your SeeD uniforms for it, please, and no improvised additions to your wardrobe," she added, giving Seifer an offhanded glance. Seifer just chuckled.

"We'll be there," Riku said, and Zell nodded.

"I'm not much for parties," Squall said, waving a hand dismissively. Seifer shook his head.

"Well you're required to attend this one," Quistis said, knowing all too well that the two of them would be there.

Selphie's screams could be heard from somewhere distant, down the hall, followed by hysterical laughter caused by Sora.

Quistis drew up an eyebrow. "And that would be?"

"A job for the Disciplinary Committee," Squall muttered. Seifer laughed and started down the hall towards the two brunettes.

* * *

The party was boring, as Seifer and Squall had imagined. The two of them stood over in a corner the entire time, ignoring the lively music and the festive dancing. They just stood there, alone together, scoffing at the happiness around them.

Zell came rushing up and was immediately ushered away by Quistis, worried about starting a scene in the ballroom.

Selphie approached the two and waved, smiling. "Hey, you two! I have a question for ya."

Not even mildly intrigued, the two just looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

"I've been added to the Spring Festival Committee, right? Well, we're kind of hurting for help and I was wondering if either of you would like to help out?"

Squall looked over at Seifer, who shrugged indifferently. Squall looked back at Selphie and gave a slight shrug, followed by a small nod.

"Sure."

Selphie jumped up and down, laughing. "WOO-HOO! Great! This year's Festival will be the best ever! Thanks!" She leapt forward and gave Squall a big hug, then let him go and attacked his blonde boyfriend similarly. She composed herself and walked off, waving to them, wearing a huge grin on her face.

"I'm thirsty," Seifer said. "You want some punch?" he asked Squall.

Squall shrugged. "Sure."

Seifer nodded and headed off towards the refreshment table.

After a moment, Squall noticed a beautiful young woman with raven black hair with a streak of brown in a lovely white dress looking at him from across the ballroom. She smiled at him and headed over to him. Confused, Squall didn't do anything but wait for her approach.

"Hi," she said in a sweet voice. Squall noticed that she was a very beautiful young woman. Too bad.

"Guess what?" the woman giggled. She leaned in closely. "You're the best looking guy here."

Squall didn't react.

"Hey, I'm talking to you," the woman said, making a cute pouty face at Squall, who merely raised an eyebrow.

"Wanna dance?" the girl asked him.

"I can't dance," Squall said simply.

The woman giggled. "Oh, you'll do fine," she said, grabbing Squall's wrist and beginning to pull him onto the dance floor.

Squall felt another hand grab his other wrist. He stopped and looked back to see Seifer looking at the woman with sheer brimstone in his gaze.

"I'm sorry?" the woman asked, gazing at Seifer. She was completely devoid of the knowledge that they were a couple.

"Let go of him," Seifer growled.

The dark-haired woman let go and backed away. "I'm sorry," she said, bowing deeply and turning away from them. Her face was red with embarrassment.

Squall looked at Seifer and let out a sad smile. "Sorry," he muttered.

Seifer shook his head. "I'm tired of the dance scene. I need some fresh air." Seifer guided Squall by the hand to the balcony on the side of the ballroom.

The two of them looked up into the night sky, mesmerized by the stars in the heavens. Just then, a shooting star went streaking across the sky. Seifer turned his gaze to Squall and gave him a warm smile, which Squall returned. They leaned in and shared a long, lingering kiss before someone clearing their throat interrupted them.

Separating from Squall, Seifer growled. "What now?" he muttered. He turned to see Quistis and Fujin holding hands in their best attire. Fujin actually looked quite nice in her bright blue, shoulderless sequin dress. There was an elaborate ribbon at her neckline that trailed down into her bosom and spread out across her dress in an elegant display of trailing behind her. Even her eyepatch was blue sequin to match. Seifer's eyes widened as he looked at her. "Wow, Fu, you look good," he said with a whistle.

Fujin blushed and pressed closer to Quistis.

"I was wondering if you two would mind escorting us ladies to the Secret Spot?" the Instructor asked the two boys.

Squall raised an eyebrow. "What? Why? If we're going in there to tell those kids that they're breaking curfew, you can find someone else."

Fujin chuckled, as it was the Disciplinary Committee's job to do such actions, and both she and Seifer were members.

"That's not it," Quistis said. "Fujin and I were just hoping for a little alone time, and that happens to be the most romantic place in the Garden."

Seifer had to agree. It was at the Secret Spot where he had asked Squall to go out with him when they were young, and it was also where they had shared their first kiss together.

Seifer shrugged and gave a quick nod. "Sure, I'll escort you."

Squall nodded as well. "Might be nice."

The four of them made their way down, out of the ballroom on the second floor and down to the Training Facility on the ground floor. Seifer and Squall split off from the women to grab their gunblades, then they met up with them right inside the entranceway afterwards.

Armed and ready, the boys led the way into the Training Facility, staying in front of and behind the two women. The four of them made their way to the Secret Spot, not encountering a single Grat, which surprised all of them, as the plant-creatures were generally nocturnal in nature.

The four of them reached the Secret Spot and lined up at the wall overlooking the Garden in the night sky. Quistis and Fujin were on one end of the wall, while Seifer and Squall were on the other. There were a couple of other couples, but not many, and they seemed entirely absorbed in their own affairs to notice the high-ranking Garden faculty in the room.

"I hope that your SeeD missions don't split you up too often," Quistis said, looking at the two boys. The both nodded in agreement, but neither of them looked at her or Fujin. They were too engrossed in the beautiful view of Garden.

Quistis sighed. "I tried to give up being an Instructor so that I could be a SeeD along with you, but Headmaster Cid wouldn't hear of it. Apparently, I'm too much of a valuable asset to leave Garden. My SeeD training courses are the most successful of any of the Instructors, from what I understand." Fujin smiled and nuzzled against Quistis while she spoke.

The four of them lapsed into silence. After a moment, Squall said, "Are you done?"

"What?" Quistis blurted, giving the brunette a shocked look.

Squall stood up from the wall and looked over at his former Instructor. "Look, I don't get involved in the lives of others. Don't try to drag me into yours."

Quistis' face gained a sad expression and she turned to look out at Garden. Her face glowed an eerie blue in the strange light. "I just feel like I'm losing a little more than some students, this time," she admitted. She gave Squall another sad look. "You, Seifer, Riku, all of you, whether you knew it or not, are people I consider to be my friends. Selphie, not so much, but that's mainly because she's new to Balamb. I feel like I know her from somewhere, though," she added as an afterthought, returning her gaze to Garden.

"Is this all you dragged us down here for?" Seifer muttered. Quistis sighed and nodded. Seifer turned away from Garden and started for the exit. "I think we should get some shut-eye, then. There's no telling when we'll have our first mission, right?"

Quistis, Fujin, Squall, and Seifer left the Secret Spot and made their way out of the Training Facility. On their way out, Squall felt like he was being watched by someone, but he figured it was just his imagination, and ignored the feeling.

Outside in the main hall of the dormitories, the girls said their goodbyes to the boys and they went their separate ways. Squall and Seifer reached their dorms and opened their doors, but stopped. They both sent each other longing looks. Seifer's face adopted a sly grin, and Squall blushed a little. Squall closed his dormitory door and headed across the hallway, let into Seifer's dorm by his blonde lover. They closed the door, leaving the dormitories in silence.

* * *

Can anyone imagine Seifer in a SeeD uniform? He looks like 4x hotter than Squall in my mind.

Well, there's chapter 5. Nifty, eh? Yeah, I know I left out a big fight and rescuing Ellone and all, but I just don't see how I could use that in this scenario. Also, before I get any questions, Rinoa and Seifer may or may not know each other at this point, and they just either didn't recognize each other at the party or they pretended to be strangers. I haven't decided yet, but it'll eventually explain itself, I'm sure.

Please read and review, or I'll lob donuts at you.


	6. Chapter 6, Mission

Well, I've decided one thing, now I need opinions on something else: should I have Rinoa and Seifer know each other from long ago or not? Don't let Rinoa-bashing get in your way of good judgment – I need to figure it out before I get to Galbadia Garden!

* * *

.oO(One Day Too Many)Oo.

* * *

Chapter 6: Mission

* * *

There was a knock on Seifer's door the next morning, startling Squall. He tried to sit up, but he found Seifer's arm wrapped around his shoulders. He smiled down at his blonde lover and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek before climbing cautiously over his naked body and onto the dorm room floor. He grabbed a pair of sweats from Seifer's drawer and put them on as the knock repeated itself. When he had the sweats on, he reached for the door and opened it.

Selphie was standing there with a look that told Squall that she was going to die laughing at any moment. Squall was confused for a moment, then it hit him: he had spent the night in Seifer's bedroom instead of his own on his first night as a SeeD.

"What is it?" Squall muttered, keeping his voice down.

"I checked your room, but you didn't answer," Selphie replied, "so I checked Seifer's. Good call, huh?" She giggled softly, but she became surprisingly serious. "You, Zell, and I have been called on a mission already! Quistis and Headmaster Cid will be waiting for us in two hours near the Front Gate."

Squall's eyes widened. _A mission already_?

"I still have to go tell Zell, so I'll see you in two hours at the Front Gate," Selphie said, shaking her index finger at him in a stately manner. She waved and rushed off down the hall.

Squall closed the door and sighed. He didn't know what to tell Seifer. They were already being torn apart. He turned back to his blonde lover and gasped. Seifer was sitting up, propped on his elbow, with a sad look on his face.

"Mission, already?" Seifer almost whined. Squall nodded sadly. Seifer got up and grabbed some pants. "Well you can be sure that I'll be there to see you off, love."

Squall walked up to Seifer and started drawing a little design on his built chest. "I, uh, have two hours before I need to meet with the others," he said naughtily.

Seifer grinned.

* * *

Quistis was always nervous about seeing her students go off on their first SeeD mission, but this time, she was surprisingly calm. _Squall must be getting to me_, she considered. The boy's silence tended to be mildly contagious.

Riku, Kairi, Fujin, and Sora had assembled with Quistis, Xu, and Headmaster Cid to see the trio off. The small group was standing in the area between the Front Gate and the Admissions Gate, waiting for the SeeD threesome.

"They've only got five more minutes," Xu said, looking at her watch, as Selphie jogged up.

"Hey!" she cried. "You all came to see us off?"

Everyone either nodded or said so. "You guys are so sweet!" Selphie laughed, glomping Riku around the neck.

"Hey, I've been wondering something," Sora said, looking at Cid.

"Yes, Sora?"

"What happened with Dollet? Why did we pull out so quickly?" the brunette asked.

Cid nodded and thought for a moment. "Galbadia had sent Dollet an agreement that Dollet's government agreed to, so we were no longer needed, and any more violence against the Galbadian military would have issued the country to consider Dollet hostile."

"That makes sense," Riku said, pushing Selphie off of him. "But what was the agreement?"

"Galbadian forces would pull out as long as Dollet continued to keep the Communications Tower operational," Xu answered. "Since it wasn't operational when we left, we can only assume that Dollet and Galbadia worked together to get it repaired."

The group lapsed into silence for a moment, then the sound of two sets of footfalls sounded. Selphie turned and waved as Squall and Seifer sauntered into the group.

"Quite the farewell party," Seifer muttered, eyeing the group.

"So we're only waiting on Zell?" Cid asked, looking around the group.

As if on cue, the humming sound of a T-board was heard shooting towards the group. Zell shifted his weight to the left and circled around the Headmaster. Zell stopped and kicked the board up to be held.

"Sorry if I'm late," Zell said with an embarrassed pat on the back of his head.

Kairi and Fujin looked at each other, and walked up to Zell. "GIVE," Fujin said, pointing at the T-board.

"What?" Zell cried. "This could be useful in a SeeD mission someday!"

"We'll be the judges of that," Kairi said, ripping the T-board from Zell's hands. "This is the fourth improper use of a T-board this week, Zell. How many of these things do you have?"

Zell chuckled. "Just one."

Kairi fumed, but said nothing, and returned to her position behind the Headmaster. Zell and Selphie walked up to stand on either side of Squall.

"Well, here you are," Cid said with a smile. "Your first SeeD mission! I'm very excited for you." His smile faded. "Ahem. Well, your mission will be in the town of Timber, in what used to be the country of Timber, but is now an extension of the Galbadian government. That is heavily related to your mission, as a matter of fact. All the information that I will give you here is to seek out representatives of the 'Forest Owls,' a local resistance group. When you arrive in Timber from the Balamb train station, someone will approach you and say, 'My, how the forests of Timber have changed!' at which point you will say, 'But the Owls are still around.' Got it? That will be your Forest Owls representative, who will take you to their base of operations."

Squall nodded, as did Zell and Selphie.

"Fine, then," Cid said with a nod. "Squall will be the squad leader, and Zell and Selphie will attempt to support him in any and every way possible." Cid gave the threesome a SeeD salute, which they returned. "My Hyne look over you with constant vigilance," Cid concluded. He turned and walked back towards Garden, followed by Xu.

Quistis hugged each of her former students in turn and nodded. "I'm so proud of each of you for making this happen for yourselves," she said, teary-eyed. Fujin put her hands on the Instructor's shoulders in an attempt to comfort her.

"Don't go getting yourselves killed out there, okay?" Sora said with a smirk.

"Yeah. We want to see the Spring Festival someday," Riku added to Selphie with a wink. She giggled.

Seifer walked up to Squall and took him in an embrace. They held each other for a minute, then broke away. Seifer gave Squall a quick kiss. "Be careful out there," he said, uncharacteristically quiet.

Squall nodded and hugged him again. Then they broke apart again and the three SeeD made their way towards the Front Gate, leaving their Garden friends to wave them goodbye.

* * *

Short chapter, but the next one covers the train ride to Timber, so I thought I'd better end this one now.

Note: Yes, I realize that in the game, Selphie is on the 'Garden Festival Committee,' not the 'Spring Festival Committee.' I really don't care…it was a mistake that I'm too lazy to change, so I'm just calling it the Spring Festival.

Thanks to all my reviewers out there! (hugs!)

R & R or I'll beat you over the head with a skillet! (waves a skillet menacingly)


	7. Chapter 7, Dream

I would comment on everyone's reviews, but that would take forever, and I don't know how to reply to them (I'm new to I feel bad for not saying anything to anyone! (cries)

Anyway, on with the next chapter, which will be full of angsty SeeD-on-SeeD action! (shifty glances)

* * *

.oO(One Day Too Many)Oo.

* * *

Chapter 7: Dream

* * *

The trip to Balamb wasn't very exciting. The three SeeD members just walked and talked together. Zell was actually restrained around Squall now, with just an offhanded glance here and there. Squall was relieved to see that he had calmed down some.

When the group reached Balamb, Selphie turned to the others and said, "I'll be right back, I need to stock up on some things before we head out." She turned and ran off down the street in her yellow dress, her boots clicking loudly on the cobblestone road.

Zell sighed and started shadowboxing while he waited, his athletic sneakers squeaking on the stone ground. His gloved fists shot through the air at a speed almost uncatchable by the naked eye. His jacket flew out behind him with every duck and twist. Squall just watched, mildly amused that someone could entertain himself in such a way.

Squall was decked out in his leather jacket with the fur interior and his black jeans. He adjusted his two belts around his pelvic area before fiddling with his leather gloves. "Hurry, Selphie," he muttered to no one.

Selphie came running up with a large bag that was hardly filled at all. "Okay, let's get going!" she said with a smile on her face. She turned back down the road and started skipping along, ahead of the two boys.

The three of them made their way to Balamb train station, where Squall bought tickets for them. Handing each of them their ticket, Squall led the way onto the train, where he used his ticket to open the inner door. It closed behind him, and Zell and Selphie had to follow his lead by using their own tickets to get inside the train.

Selphie looked around the front cabin area and noticed a door leading into another car. She looked through the door's window and blinked in excitement. "Ooh," she murmured.

"So what do we do now?" Zell asked the squad leader.

Squall crossed his arms. "We wait for the train to leave the station and arrive in Timber."

Zell rolled his eyes. "That's not what I meant, but okay." He noticed Selphie jumping up and down at the door, muttering, "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!"

"You may want to use your ticket to open that door for her," Zell told Squall.

Squall walked over and used his ticket in the access slot. After a moment, the door slid open. With a big grin on her face, Selphie turned to Squall and cried out, "Thanks!" before shooting down the hall in the next car.

Zell followed Selphie through the door and noticed the plaque with the words "SeeD Authorization Required" outside a rather elegant-looking door. "This must be the SeeD cabin," he said. He used his ticket and his Garden ID in the required slots and the door slid open. Stepping inside, Zell cried out, "WOAH!" He rushed in and the door closed behind him.

Squall walked down the hall in the second car and notice Selphie staring intently out of the window, watching the station personnel going about their business. The train hadn't left yet.

Squall walked up to her and she gave him another large smile. "I love trains," she said. She turned to look out the window again and she began to rock her head back and forth as she sang a little diddy. "Trains, trains, I love trains," she sang. "Into the future we will go; where we'll stop, nobody knows…" She broke off and looked at Squall again. "Go ahead. I'll be right in."

Squall turned away from Selphie, who was already singing again, and used his ticket and Garden ID to get into the SeeD cabin. When the door slid open, Squall stepped through to discover one of the most luxurious-looking rooms he'd ever seen. Zell was bouncing on the humongous sofa on the far wall of the room. There were two queen-sized beds set up as bunkbeds on the right wall, and the sofa curved around to take up the opposite and left walls. There was a desk for writing on the last wall.

"Isn't this great?" Zell cried, laughing as he continued to bounce his rear on the sofa. Squall just shook his head as the door closed behind him.

The train gave a shudder and a lurch and vibrations could be felt through the flooring. "It looks like we're off," Squall said.

"Wanna know something about the train?" Zell asked.

Squall shrugged and sat down on the couch on the wall away from Zell.

"The train in Balamb only goes to Timber, but to get there, it uses the Timber Chunnel, a tunnel that runs underneath the ocean," Zell explained. "Timber's a big train city, with loading docks that'll take you just about anywhere on the continent, including an old, unused railroad that leads all the way to Esthar. Pretty cool, huh?"

Squall sighed. "Thank you, Mr. Know-It-All-Zell."

Just then, Selphie opened the door to the SeeD cabin, not looking very well.

"You okay?" Zell asked her.

Selphie nodded. "Yeah, I'm just kind of groggy. I must have watched the stuff outside go by too quickly."

Squall didn't say anything, but Zell stood up and backed away from the girl. "Well, don't go gettin' sick on me, got it?" he said nervously.

Squall noticed a slight ringing in his ears. It was probably from the change in atmospheric pressure as the train went under the ocean.

Selphie laid on the bottom queen-sized bed. "It's okay, I just need a nap," she said, drifting off to sleep too quickly to be safe.

Zell yawned. "I think I could go for a nap, too," he gurgled. He practically fell over onto the couch, asleep before he hit the cushion.

Squall stood up and the ringing became alarmingly loud. He put a hand to his head, but the ringing continued. "What the hell?" he cried as he fell to his knee. He felt his consciousness slipping. The last thing he remembered was the train floor rushing up at him.

* * *

The forest was surprisingly hot and sticky. There was no lack of Funguars, either; they kept popping up out of nowhere, only to be struck down by Kiros' katal or Ward's harpoon.

The trio raced along, taking out Funguars like there was no tomorrow, and finally winding up at a small stream.

The leader of the outfit looked around and chuckled nervously.

Kiros, the dark-skinned, lithe one, shook his head. "Laguna, we're not lost again, are we?"

Laguna turned, his handsome face flashing a dazzling smile back at his dark-skinned friend. "Nah. I never get lost."

The rather large man in the back with the bandana on his head laughed. "That's what you said last time."

Kiros nodded. "Ward's right. You have a tendency to get us completely lost."

Laguna didn't say anything. Instead, he turned back to the front.

"Aren't we supposed to be fighting the all-mighty Timber army?" Ward asked.

"Yeah, uh, right after we, uh," Laguna stammered. He looked around desperately. "Head back to Deling for supplies!" Laguna darted off across the stream, followed by his friends.

The three of them came to a Galbadian military transport. "Here we go," Laguna said with a smile. "Pile on in!"

The three of them got into the transport. Kiros chuckled nervously. "Uh, Laguna, are you sure that you should drive this thing?"

"Aw, c'mon, Kiros, how hard could it be? Let's see here…" The vehicle veered forward and smashed into a tree. The three of them got out and just looked at the vehicle.

Laguna looked around. "Look!" he cried, pointing at a second transport vehicle. They piled into that one and Laguna was able to safely aim the thing out of the forest before smashing in the gas pedal.

* * *

Deling City was bustling, as usual, and the streets were ever so packed. Laguna threw the Galbadian transport towards the fountain in the square, stopping just short of its sparkling pool. He put the thing into park and started getting out.

"Hey, Laguna, are you sure it's okay to park here?" Kiros asked.

"No sweat!" Laguna said with a smile. "Do it all the time!"

The three soldiers vacated the transport and headed down the street, towards the inn. Screeching could be heard behind them as cars came to a screeching halt, not wanting to hit the armored military vehicle. Soon there was a line of traffic behind the vehicle over ten vehicles long. Kiros and Ward pretended that they didn't notice, and Laguna was innocently oblivious.

The three of them made their way to the inn's basement, the high to-do martini bar underneath the city street. The greeter met them at the bottom of the staircase as they entered the room.

"Ah, gentlemen," she said with a bow, "your usual table is ready." She motioned towards a corner table in front, and Laguna grinned at her, leading the way over.

The three men sat down and sighed, relieved to be able to relax after a day of senselessly following Laguna around, getting lost around every corner. The waitress walked up for orders, and Laguna led the way with, "The usual, please." Kiros and Ward followed suit, and soon the waitress had left them to themselves.

Laguna looked around nervously. Kiros noticed his slight shaking. "What's wrong, Laguna? Can't wait?" the dark-skinned man said with a chuckle.

Laguna shot Kiros a dirty look, but laughed. "You bet. I hope she's playing tonight."

"She always plays," Ward replied. "There she is now."

Laguna's head snapped around to see one of the most gorgeous women to ever grace the planet, walking down the staircase into the room. She wore a sexy red dress with thin shoulder straps and a ribbon that hemmed the dress's bust and fell away behind her to wave merrily in the slight breeze that she created when she walked. Her face was dazzling, as always, with her small, bright eyes and her perfect smile. Her short black hair was styled a little differently tonight, Laguna noticed, parted on the left and spiked towards the right, unlike her usual elegant drape behind her head. Laguna liked the new look.

"She is so beautiful," Laguna whispered.

"Will tonight be the night that you finally go over and talk to her?" Kiros asked his friend.

Laguna seemed unnerved. "I, uh, I…" he stammered.

Kiros rolled his eyes. "Get out there, you big baby." He gave Laguna a push and Laguna went sprawling out of the booth, onto the floor. Laguna got up with a start and slowly made his way over towards the pianist, who was warming up.

Laguna reached the steps that lead up to the stage where the grand piano sat, when his calf suddenly lurched into a seizure. He grabbed his leg with both hands, grimacing in pain, and turned to make his way back down the steps, when he tripped and fell face first onto the floor.

The piano stopped being played as the pianist, Kiros, and Ward appeared by Laguna's side.

* * *

Laguna opened his eyes to the pianist's face staring down at him with a worried expression. He sat up a little fast, smacking her head with his. She flew back and he fell back to the bed. He got up quickly again and looked around for the woman.

Helping her to her feet, he apologized repeatedly, but the woman simple laughed.

"I'm fine," she said, giving Laguna a warm smile. "Are you all right?" she asked the soldier.

Laguna realized she was referring to his leg, which wasn't cramped anymore. "Yeah," he said with wide eyes, bouncing on his leg. "No cramp. That's odd. That only happens when I get really, really nervous."

"What's to be nervous about?" the woman asked him. "You're only in the hotel room of the woman that you've been lusting after for a while," she added with a wink.

Laguna jumped in surprise. "Eh? Oh, yeah, uh, you knew?" He gave a nervous chuckle. "I'm sorry, Miss Julia, but I'm not lusting, I want to get to know you."

Julia raised an eyebrow and gave him a playful smile. "I'm sure you do," she breathed, coming closely to Laguna.

Laguna blinked a couple of times and began to become very uncomfortable. He backed away from Julia and fell onto her bed. She giggled.

"You're cute," she remarked, sitting on the end of the bed. "What's your name?"

"Laguna Loire," Laguna replied nervously. His leg was beginning to think about seizing again.

"Well, Laguna, you've been watching me for some time now," Julia said. "I see you in the bar every night."

"You mean you saw me?" Laguna's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

Julia laughed softly and nodded. "You were always looking at me with a smile on your face as I played. I'll never forget the pure enjoyment you gave me when I saw how happy my playing makes other people."

Laguna blushed. "Really?"

Julia nodded with a smile and stood up. "So, what about you?"

* * *

Laguna was babbling on about something or other when he realized that he'd been talking for quite some time. Julia had just sat down and listened with a smile on her face the entire time.

"I'm sorry, I'm talking too much again," Laguna said, giving Julia an embarrassed smile.

"Don't worry," she said. "You're helping me out."

Laguna gave her a confused look and she continued. "I love playing the piano, but I want to sing, too." She stood up and looked out her window. "To verbalize the feelings that I feel when I play, that is my dream. I think you've helped me write my first song, Laguna. Thank you," she added with a smile back at him.

"That's great!" Laguna said triumphantly. He'd loosened up quite a bit. "I'd love to hear it sometime!"

"I saw you smiling at me," Julia sang, "was it real or just my fantasy? You'd always be there, in the corner of this tiny little bar…"

Laguna blushed as Julia slowly walked up to him, her eyes on his the entire time.

"I kind of liked it your way, how you shyly placed your eyes on me," Julia continued, "but did you ever know that I had mine on you?" She placed her arms around Laguna's neck and reached up with her face, bringing his down towards her.

The two shared a passionate kiss, embracing each other. They knew that they wouldn't be together, but it felt good to finally let out the feelings that they've felt for each other for quite some time. Their kiss was long, and they both became completely enraptured by each other. Time flew by, and they didn't know it.

How they wished that moment would never end…

* * *

Squall opened his eyes just as the train intercom went off. "Timber Station to arrive in five minutes."

The SeeD got to his hands and knees, then to his feet. Zell and Selphie were stirring as well. The three of them looked around at each other, a little disoriented.

"Timber," Squall said.

Zell stood up and nodded. "Time to do it," he said, punching one fist into the other.

Selphie yawned. "I had such a nice dream," she said with a happy smile.

_I dreamt I was a bumbling idiot,_ Squall thought.

"Sir Laguna is so cool!" Selphie laughed.

Silence.

Zell was staring at Selphie. "There was a Laguna in my dream, too. And two more guys."

"Kiros and Ward," Squall concluded.

Selphie shivered. "Weird." Silence lapsed into the cabin again until the girl spoke. "Well, we'd better not try to worry about this too hard right now. We need to concentrate on our mission."

Squall and Zell nodded. The train came to a lurch, stopping at Timber Station, and the three of them exited their cabin.

* * *

Writing for Laguna's dream sequences is going to kill my update time. (shivers) For some reason, I had a real problem doing this chapter, but now that we're back to the main group, things'll pick up again, I bet. Yes, I know I changed Laguna's encounter with Julia, and I did it for a reason, it wasn't just something I thought I'd change (which I do frequently in this rewrite). R & R or I'll deprive myself of my new addiction, Raspberry Crystal Light, and go feral on your butt. (fake growl) 


	8. Chapter 8, Owls

And now, the feedback:

RavenMistress: Raspberry crystal light? That shit's awesome! Your addicted to it to, wow it's good to know I'm not the only one . Your updating about every other day where as it takes most other authors a month to even think of something to write, take all the time you want!

TigStripe: XD I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one, too! And as for the updating, I write as I think of it, so I'm just thinking of the storyline of ff8…it's not that hard.

Shinigami's Shadow: Yayness Up-date! Laguna scene's are really funny and annoying in my opinion. Anyway I hope you up-date soon, ja!

TigStripe: Ja! XD

* * *

.oO(One Day Too Many)Oo.

* * *

Chapter 8: Owls

* * *

The train landed in the Timber Station and allowed its clientele off, onto the large staircase that led down into the city. Timber seems very advanced, technologically speaking, yet something was odd about the scenery and the local people.

"It's very," Selphie considered for a moment, then snapped her fingers. "Drab."

Squall had to agree. There wasn't much going on. Every station but Balamb's was inactive, leading for an eerie silence in the train station.

A man in a yellow vest walked up to the group and eyed them cautiously. He stretched, still looking at the group, trying to look inconspicuous, but failing. "Oh boy," he sighed as he lowered his arms, "how the forests of Timber have changed!"

"I'll bet that the monkeys are still around, though," Selphie giggled. Squall elbowed her in the side and shook his head.

The man in the yellow vest looked at the girl strangely. Squall spoke. "But the owls are still around."

The man grinned and nodded. "Yes, sir, very good, sir! This way, sir!" The man turned and rushed down the stairs and onto another platform. Squall, Zell, and Selphie followed him.

A large yellow train engine appeared on the track, slowing to a stop in front of the four of them. A door opened in the side and the yellow vested man stepped inside, waving for the SeeD members to follow. They did so, and found themselves inside a rather dusty engine modified as a headquarters for some sort of group. Squall saw a simple sign that said, "Briefing Room" hanging over a closet door. He shook his head, resisting the urge to leave.

"Welcome to the home of the Forest Owls, sir!" the man said, giving them a salute. "I'm Watts, head information specialist. If you would, Zone is in the Briefing Room right now, so if you would please wait here, sir." Watts charged into the Briefing Room and after a moment, a tall, lanky man in a blue jacket appeared. He had a twisted smile.

"Hey, there," he said. "The name's Zone, Second-in-Command of the Forest Owls, the most active and successful resistance group in Timber." He took Selphie's hand.

"This is Zell," Squall said, motioning to the blonde, "Selphie," another motion, "and I'm Squall, the squad leader."

Zone shook all three SeeDs' hand and nodded. "Now that the introductions are over, it's time for you to meet our princess."

_Princess?_ Squall thought, a little surprised.

"The princess is sleeping in the last car, sir," Watts said. "She asked to be awoken specifically by the squad leader of the SeeD group when they arrived, sir."

Squall sighed. "Fine," he said, exasperated, "but this is the last time I run your little errands. Got it?" He turned and headed up the stairs into the small hallway leading towards the back of the engine.

Squall reached the last room in the hallway and knocked on the door. There was no answer, so he opened the door and stepped in. Lying on the large bed in the corner of the room was a beautiful woman of raven black hair. She was curled up on top of the covers, and Squall noticed that she was wearing embarrassingly short shorts covered only by the tail of her blue, sleeveless vest. She looked familiar to Squall, but he couldn't quite place the face.

The woman stirred and sat up slowly, gazing over towards Squall. She stood up from the bed and looked at him. Suddenly, Squall realized where he'd seen her before.

"_Wanna dance?" the girl asked him._

"_I can't dance," Squall said simply._

_The woman giggled. "Oh, you'll do fine," she said, grabbing Squall's wrist and beginning to pull him onto the dance floor._

_Squall felt another hand grab his other wrist. He stopped and looked back to see Seifer looking at the woman with sheer brimstone in his gaze._

"_I'm sorry?" the woman asked, gazing at Seifer. She was completely devoid of the knowledge that they were a couple._

"_Let go of him," Seifer growled._

_The dark-haired woman let go and backed away. "I'm sorry," she said, bowing deeply and turning away from them._

"You're the girl from the dance," Squall said, his eyes wide.

The girl nodded. "And you're the one who I wanted to dance with, but that other boy didn't want you to go anywhere." Her head was lowered a little in shame.

"Seifer can be like that," Squall muttered. "So you're the Forest Owls' 'princess,' right?"

The woman nodded. "My name is Rinoa." She held out a hand.

"Squall," Squall said, taking her hand and shaking it.

A large dog appeared in the doorway of the room and ran over to Rinoa. It sniffed Squall and whined.

"This is my partner Angelo," Rinoa said, leaning down and giving him a pat on the head.

"Partner?" Squall repeated.

"Yup," Rinoa said with a smile. "He helps me out when I'm in trouble."

"I think you're wanted in the main, uh, hallway," Squall said with a jerk of his thumb towards the door.

Rinoa nodded and jostled past Squall, Angelo right on her heels. Squall sighed and turned back towards the hallway and headed back to the others.

Selphie was staring out the window when Squall arrived back with the others. Zell was sitting on the steps, looking bored out of his mind, Zone and Watts were talking in a corner, and Rinoa was standing in the center of the group with Angelo.

"I guess that since you're here," Rinoa started, "we should start the briefing, right?"

Squall nodded. "That's why we're here," he muttered.

Zone turned and opened the Briefing Room door and headed in, followed closely by Watts and Rinoa. Angelo stayed in the main hall as the SeeDs entered after them.

* * *

I know, really short chapter. The briefing and mission will make the next one pretty long, I guess. And no, it won't be the same as the game, so don't think it'll be the same boring mission! Well, it'll be the train mission, but (censored to keep the suspense), so things'll definitely end a bit differently.

So yeah, R&R before I sick Angelo on you! Be careful, he has rabies!


	9. Chapter 9, Train

.oO(One Day Too Many)Oo.

* * *

Chapter 9: Train

* * *

Everyone entered the Briefing Room to discover that it was much more than a closet. There was a large table and a bulletin board, among models, file cabinets, and other things, making the room very cramped, but even the crampedness couldn't hide the size of the room.

Selphie and Zell moved to the back of the room, while the leaders of the Forest Owls stayed near the door. Squall was in the middle, and he crossed his arms and looked at Rinoa.

"Before we start this briefing," the SeeD leader said, "I would like to see your contract with our Garden."

Rinoa nodded. "Of course," she said, turning to a file cabinet right next to her. She dug in it for a moment, speaking while she searched. "Cid is such a nice man. He gave us an 'official' contract, but I couldn't make heads or tails of its terminology, so he gave me a simplified version as well. I'll let you read that," she said, yanking a piece of paper from the cabinet and handing it to Squall.

Squall looked down at the paper and read aloud so that Zell and Selphie could hear. "I, Headmaster Cid Kramer, in cooperation with Rinoa Heartilly of the Forest Owls of the city of Timber, hereby grant the party in question a limited SeeD resource for their ambitions to free Timber from Galbadian rule. In short, three SeeD members will be provided to the Forest Owls until Timber has been liberated from Galbadia. In the unlikely event of an untimely death of a SeeD member, no substitutions may be made."

"That is _so_ vague!" Selphie cried.

"No kidding," Squall said, handing the paper back to Rinoa. "That means that we're yours until Timber's free. There's no foreseeable end to this struggle yet, is there?"

Rinoa's eyes twinkled. "Not yet, but if this mission goes well, then the end may be much closer than we think."

"Then let's get this train moving!" Zell said, punching one fist into the other in anticipation.

"Very well, then, let's begin," Zone said, moving to the large table. There was a model train set sitting on its surface, waiting.

"Nice trains," Selphie muttered.

"This is what we will be using to brief you for your mission," Zone explained. "Watts?"

Watts stepped up and nodded. "If you aren't aware, sir, President Vinzer Deling is on a train bound for Timber at this very moment. Our plan, sir, is to abduct the President and force Timber's independence from Galbadia, in exchange for the safe return of the President."

"Sound simple enough," Selphie interjected.

"It won't be," Rinoa replied, turning to the train set. "We are currently on a parallel set of tracks to the one that Deling is traveling on. Within the hour, we'll be caught up to his train completely, and we'll instigate the mission."

Zone clicked the power button to the train set. "This is how it is supposed to happen," he began. "We run up beside the Galbadian train, where you jump from our engine to their caboose and make your way up to the President's car. Rinoa and Squall will uncouple the cars there by using the keypad on the bottom of the train. Zell and Selphie will need to be on the lookout for guards, who will undoubtedly be patrolling the inside of the train and looking out the windows."

"I have all the codes for the uncoupling systems right here," Rinoa said, drawing a small electronic gizmo from her pocket.

The yellow Forest Owl model train broke into the Galbadian model train and forced the caboose and a couple of cars back. It then coupled with the drifting cars, then shot forward and coupled with the Galbadian train.

"We have a fake President's car attached to the back of the base," Zone explained. "When we connect ourselves to the rest of the Galbadian train, it's up to Rinoa and Squall to uncouple the real President's car from the train. Zell and Selphie will be working on uncoupling our base from the fake car, so you'll be on your own for that one."

Watts handed Selphie an electronic device. "Our codes are in this, sir," he told her. "Just hit the 'Accept' button when you want it to display the code."

"After we uncouple ourselves from the fake car and the rest of the train, we pull out and bring the base and the real President's car to a halt and force him to cooperate, or suffer the consequences," Rinoa finished.

"All in all, the whole process should take about five minutes," Zone explained. "Once we sidle up beside the President's train, we'll have seven minutes of track before we have to pull out, so we have to make sure we get the codes right and nothing happens."

"Are there any questions?" Rinoa asked.

"I've got one," Zell replied. "Where'd you get these trains?"

"We bought most of them at a nearby souvenir shop," Zone answered. "All of them except for the President's car. Rinoa made that one."

"Okay, I was just wondering," Zell replied. "I mean, they all look really nice except for that one."

"Hmm? What wrong with it?" Rinoa asked.

"I can't put my finger on it," Zell said thoughtfully. "It's just…"

"Ugly," Selphie spat.

"Yeah, that's it," Zell said with a snap of his fingers.

"I wanted it to be that way," Rinoa replied. "It represents my hatred for Deling."

"You must really hate him, then," Zell chuckled.

"Yeah, I think that's the most hideous thing I've ever seen in my life," Selphie said, making a face.

"Enough about the trains! Is everyone ready?" Rinoa asked, her face red and a vein in her temple throbbing slightly. "We'll be coming up on the Galbadian train any time now."

Squall looked to Zell and Selphie, who both nodded. The three of them were prepared. Squall looked back at Rinoa and nodded. "I think we're set," he answered.

Rinoa smiled and turned on her heel towards the door. "Good. Angelo's not coming with us on this one, so I'll try not to get involved if we find ourselves fighting anyone."

Squall hardly saw that statement necessary, but he appreciated the warning that she wouldn't be helping in battle.

The group exited the Briefing Room and found themselves in the main hall again. Zone and Watts went off to their respective posts for the mission, leaving Rinoa with the SeeDs.

"Shall we make our way to the top of the train, then?" Rinoa asked.

One after another, the three Garden SeeD members nodded and the four of them made their way to the engine's roof.

* * *

Zone found himself at his post, at the controls of the Forest Owls base, increasing the engine's throttle until they were sidled up next to the Galbadian train. He spoke into the mic that fed to the roof speakers. "Go ahead!" he said. He waited for a moment, then his instruments received the signal given by Rinoa's electronic device, signaling that all four of them were safely over on the other train. Zone increased throttle again, pulling the base's engine up to the point where it would slide into the Galbadian train's lineup without difficulty.

Zone watched on the live action feed monitors as Squall used the rope to go down underneath the train. Rinoa called out the passcodes and Squall entered them without difficulty. No guards attempted to distract them, as Zell and Selphie remained quiet throughout the code entering. The train slid apart, and Zone was able to sneak onto the other track easily. He tampered with the controls a bit, coupling the fake President's car with the caboose of the Galbadian train, then he increased throttle to connect with the actual President's car. So far, so good.

* * *

Zell and Selphie made their way back to the end of the Forest Owls' engine. Selphie attached the line to the train and Zell tugged on it to make sure it was nice and strongly based. He jumped over the edge of the train and landed with a thud against the Owls' base, but he recomposed himself quickly and went down to the keypad.

Selphie took out Watts' device and hit the 'Accept' button, as instructed. A four-digit code appeared on the screen.

"Two-two-four-one!" Selphie shouted down to Zell, which he entered quickly.

"Four-three-one-one!" Selphie cried, stealing another glance at the screen on her device.

"Three-three-three-one!" Selphie shouted down.

Within moments, Zell was up on the rooftop of the base again, and it was no longer connected with the fake President's car.

Just then, a massive explosion erupted from the front of the President's car, sending the Forest Owls' base off the tracks. It tilted to the side and slowly fell to the ground, where it made a humongous rut in the earth. Zell and Selphie leapt from the engine as it fell, saving themselves from injury, other than a few cuts and bruises from hitting the ground and rolling.

"The President's car," Zell muttered, rubbing his hand over his eyes. He froze. "SQUALL!" he shouted. He leapt to his feet and took off at a dash towards the still-moving engine and President's car.

"Zell, no!" Selphie cried, struggling to her feet as well. Her left ankle was injured, but she couldn't let him risk his life near a rampaging fallen train engine.

Zell was running towards the engine, but he slowed to a stop, staring into the sky. When Selphie caught up to him, she noticed his stares, and she looked up to where he was looking. Her mouth fell open.

Slowly floating down to the ground was an orb of electricity with gigantic, angelic wings protruding from the top, similarly made of electricity. The orb touched the earth and it dissipated immediately, revealing an unconscious Rinoa and a barely conscious Squall.

Zell and Selphie made their way over to the downed duo and collapsed at their side.

"Squall!" Zell cried, his eyes filled with tears. He pulled the living brunette into a tight embrace and didn't let go until Squall started shoving at him.

Selphie helped Rinoa sit up, where she slowly came to. When her eyes opened, electricity sparked within them, and she looked at the others, confused. The electricity was gone as quickly as it had sparked.

"The protective wings of lightning," Selphie whispered. "Quezacotl."

The four of them sat there until Squall and Rinoa felt that they could walk again. Then the focus of harm was directed towards Selphie's ankle.

"Damn," Squall muttered. He stood up and took a glance around. Timber was less than a mile ahead of them – they had just made it off of the train before entering the city.

Zell administered a Cure-style spell to Selphie's ankle, hoping to mend it somewhat. After a scream of pain from the young brunette, the group was able to stand and take in their surroundings.

The train had flipped completely over. The President's car was trashed, and the Forest Owls' base wasn't in perfect condition, either.

Rinoa's hands clasped to her mouth, silencing a scream. "Zone! Watts! Angelo!" she cried, shooting forward, towards the yellow train engine.

Squall and the others rushed after her. When they reached the engine, they noticed the top hatch was open. Rinoa climbed inside to have a look. After a moment, she reappeared in the opening. Here eyes were wide with surprise.

"It's empty," she whispered. "There's not a soul in here!"

"Rinoa!"

The group turned its attention towards the train tracks to see Zone, Watts, Angelo, and the rest of the Forest Owls dashing towards them, waving their arms. Behind them sat the caboose of the Galbadian train.

"You're all right!" Rinoa cried, running into Zone with a huge around the neck. She hugged Watts, as well, and bent down to give Angelo the biggest hug of the three.

"How'd you know to get in the caboose?" Zell asked Zone.

"We were tipped off by a signal from Timber," Zone replied. "Seems that the Forest Foxes had already bugged the train to detonate when the President's car was uncoupled. They did it back in Deling City, believe it or not."

"The Forest Foxes?" Selphie asked, not putting weight on her bad ankle.

Rinoa nodded. "The Forest Foxes are the second-most active resistance group in Timber. Looks like they pulled this one off, though."

"We were told that the Foxes knew that the President would be switching trains, and he wouldn't be leaving the car, due to schedule restrictions," Zone explained. "They rigged the train to explode when the President's care was uncoupled from the car in front of it. If we had known before, we would have scrapped this whole plan."

Zone's face took on a pale shade, and his eyes darted to Rinoa. "How did you survive the explosion? You and Squall were right there next to the charge!"

"That isn't important," Zell said, waving a hand dismissively. "What's important is that we make sure that the mission is safe!"

The group rushed to the President's car and checked its interior. Rinoa gasped when she saw the President's lifeless body smashed underneath a sofa.

"He's dead," Selphie whispered, her eyes wide.

"Does this mean that the mission was a failure?" Zell asked Squall. Squall shrugged, as confused as the others.

"The mission doesn't matter!" Rinoa cried, her eyes tearing up. "We wanted to take him hostage, not kill him! Now Galbadia has even more reason to force troops into Timber!"

"Calm down," Squall muttered, mildly annoyed. "Something tells me that we don't know everything about this."

"What's to know?" Rinoa shrieked. "We, a resistance group against Galbadian in the town of Timber, hijacked a Galbadian train with the President of the country on board, and he's dead! All signs point to Timber's burning to the ground!" She was becoming too excited. Squall put his hands on her shoulders and tried to calm her down.

"You need to stop being so excited," he ordered. "You're going to hyperventilate."

Rinoa took a deep breath and nodded, regaining her composure. "What do we do now?" she asked, her head bowed in sorrow.

"Head back to Timber and see what kind of pride we can salvage," Squall answered, looking over at Zell and Selphie. They knew why he was looking at them. The three of them shared a common thought: with such occurrences as this, Timber wouldn't be around to help liberate much longer.

The group turned towards Timber and began to trudge their way back into the city.

* * *

Meh. Sorry for a late update. This is one of the most annoying things in the game, I think, so I'm going to be making a bit of sense out of it. R&R or I'll crash a train into _your_ town! 


	10. Chapter 10, Broadcast

I'd like to thank my reviewers once more. Shinigami's Shadow, Matron Raenee, squalmasy, among others, have inspired me to do this to the best of my abilities, which is why I took so long on the last chapter. This one, however, I hope to get up in one or two days after chapter 9. Hope it works. (writes pre-story notes before the chapter, so bear with him)

* * *

.oO(One Day Too Many)Oo.

* * *

Chapter 10: Broadcast

* * *

The Forest Owls and the three Balamb SeeD members reentered Timber without problems, quickly heading to a nearby house to figure out their next steps.

Once safely out of earshot of any Galbadian soldiers, Rinoa sat on the floor of the living room, thinking. Everyone was scattered about the house, deep in thought.

Rinoa sprung to her feet and yelled out, "Conference!"

Zone and Watts rushed over to their princess and the three of them squatted down in a small huddle, whispering feverishly amongst them. Squall watched, repulsed, as the three of the 'planned' there on the living room floor like that.

"Got it!" Rinoa cried, jumping to her feet and startling everyone in the room. "Watts, explain the situation."

Watts stood up and cleared his throat. "You see, sir, the President of Galbadia had been on his way to Timber to make an announcement over our HD broadcasting system, sir."

"HD cables?" Zell repeated, shocked. "Those haven't been used in like 15 years, right?"

Watts nodded. "That's right, sir, but when Galbadia repaired the communications tower in Dollet, they were setting it up for a world-wide transmission fed by the Timber TV station."

"What would they be wanting to broadcast that wide-spread?" Squall asked.

"We don't know," Rinoa replied before Watts could answer, "but this is our chance to claim Timber's total independence from Galbadia."

Selphie raised an eyebrow. "I don't follow."

Rinoa huffed and put her hands on her hips. "We broadcast a message of Timber's independence, instead of the Galbadian President's message. Galbadia will have no choice but to consider us a free nation after that."

_Is she really that naïve?_ Squall thought. "I don't think that it will work," he said bluntly.

Rinoa looked hurt. "Even if it doesn't actually relieve us from Galbadian rule, it will instill a sense of independence in the people of Timber again. The people of this town have been slowly falling into the frame of mind that we're better off not resisting, but this message will reawaken their nationalism for the once-beautiful country of Timber. Don't say it isn't worth it, because it is."

Squall shrugged. "I never said it wasn't worth it, I just mentioned that I didn't think it would have the same results as you had originally intended. Don't confuse matters," he added pointedly.

Rinoa sighed. "Alright, then, since I'm the leader of the Forest Owls, I'll make the announcement, but I want the three of you there as my bodyguards – if we go breaking into a Galbadian address set up, we're bound to run into trouble."

"Then let's get this over with," Zell muttered, crossing his arms. "I wanna see Garden again in this lifetime, if you don't mind."

_No kidding,_ Squall thought. _I wonder how he's doing. No, _Squall shook his head. _I can't let myself get distracted right now. I'll worry about Seifer later._

"Any time you guys are ready, we'll go make our announcement," Rinoa said to the SeeD members.

* * *

The path to the TV station was surprisingly lightly guarded. The group hadn't been opposed by any soldiers or guards until they reached the stairs to the actual station.

"Stop!" a guard cried with a raised hand. "This is a Galbadian situation, you cannot enter the TV station," he instructed. "Leave now."

"Bite me," Zell said, delivering a bone-crushing jab to the man's face, followed by two lightning-quick punches to the gut and an uppercut, sending the man falling to the ground. Zell cracked his knuckles and shadowboxed for a moment. "About time I saw some action on this mission," he muttered.

The group made their way up the stairs until they saw the TV station's massive screen. Rinoa slowed to a stop in looking at it as they passed it.

"Is something wrong?" Selphie asked her.

Rinoa stood there, staring at the humongous screen and shook her head. "I-I can't do it."

Squall sighed and turned away from Rinoa. "Let's go."

Rinoa looked at Squall, shocked. "Didn't you hear me? I can't do this! Abort mission!"

Squall turned to Rinoa, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "You dragged us all the way up her for this, we're going."

Rinoa backed up as Squall approached her. "I can't do it. It won't work, just like you said."

"You're just nervous," Selphie encouraged, jumping at the notion.

"We should head back to the others and come up with a new plan," Rinoa said, almost sheepishly, under Squall's lingering gaze.

Squall's hardened look softened and he sighed. He turned away from Rinoa to look out over the city. "Fine. We'll head back. You're our client. We'll follow your orders."

Selphie and Zell mimicked Squall, looking out over the city. "We'll do what you say," Selphie said.

Rinoa regained her confidence, her face turning harsh this time. "That's so sad. Can't you guys think for yourselves?"

All the SeeD members' heads turned to look at the blue-clad woman.

"I mean, I know you're under contract, but I'd like to hear input from you guys, too," Rinoa said. "You're not real Forest Owls, but you're still involved in the missions."

Squall turned towards her and stomped up to her, his face hardened again. "Fine, you want input? Here's your input." He pointed severely out at the city. "This city is depending on you and your group to free them from Galbadian rule, and the best you can do to plan a mission is plop down somewhere on the floor in a huddle? Did you want input then? Why do you want it now? Aren't you happy playing your little games with your friends, trying to free Timber? Why did you have to bring us into this mindless play?" He made a movement to hit Rinoa, but he didn't. "Tell me! Why are we here? Are we here to escort you all over the town, or are we here to fight your battles, or are we here to help you rescue Timber?"

Rinoa's eyes were tearing. She said nothing for a moment, and turned her back to Squall, trying to hide the fact that she was crying. After a moment, she sniffed and turned back to him. Over her shoulder, she said, "This isn't a game to us. It's very real. But if that's how you feel about it, then go back to Garden. We'll handle the rest."

"No," Squall said in a low voice. "You're still our client, and we'll do what you order, but we're _not_ mindless soldiers."

Rinoa turned back away from him. "Go back to Garden, Squall. We don't need SeeD's help. It was a mistake going there in the first place." She started down the steps, back towards the city. "Oh," she added, turning to face Squall again. "You're mean." She ran down the steps, yelling, "MEANIE!"

Rinoa was out of earshot when Zell gave Squall a confused look and said, "What the hell?"

Squall slowly shook his head. _Damn. What do I do now?_ he asked himself.

Just then, the massive television screen behind them sprung to life, issuing a snowy picture for a moment. "Look!" Selphie cried, pointing.

"They're going on with the announcement, without the President?" Zell asked, dumbfounded.

"Seems that way," Squall replied.

"I wonder what the message is?" Zell pondered.

Selphie giggled. "Peace and love!" she cried, jumping up and down.

_Somehow, I doubt that,_ Squall muttered inside his head.

The snowy picture subsided, showing the interior of the studio. A lone podium was on screen, with the Galbadian flag behind it and the nation's symbol engraved on the podium itself. A heavyset man was behind the podium, a huge grin on his face.

"Is it on?" the heavy man asked. "H-Hello? Oh, it's on?" The man chuckled, then began the introduction. "Hello, out there, world! Yes, you can stop rubbing your eyes! We're on TV once more, thanks to a coalition of Dollet and Timber, making time and spending money for this very important, world-rattling announcement. Our President, Vinzer Deling, would be here to make the announcement personally, but a tragic train accident has left him moving on to a better place, so I shall be making this very important announcement myself. It is my pleasure to introduce Galbadia's new ambassador, who will help steady the ties between Galbadia and the rest of the world, in the attempt to generate a world-wide feeling of trust and peace."

"See! See!" Selphie cried, pointing at the screen and jumping up and down.

"Sh," Zell scolded.

"This ambassador will keep the ties between Galbadia and every other nation on the face of the planet together in peace and friendship forevermore. So please, allow me to introduce to you Galbadia's new ambassador over foreign affairs, the Sorceress Edea."

"The Sorceress who?" Selphie mimicked, her eyes wide in confusion.

The man stepped down and a petite woman in a tight black dress appeared, with an elegant hairpiece protruding from her scalp. She would have been very lovely if she had not been sneering at the camera.

"I am honored to accept such a position from the President," the Sorceress said into the microphone, "and I am sorry to hear about his untimely demise. I will, however, carry out his wishes for Galbadia and the rest of the world, ensuring happiness." She nodded to the microphone and stepped down, letting the fat man back to the podium.

"Ah, the Sorceress Edea, ladies and gentlemen!" A crashing noise was heard in the background, and suddenly the camera went horizontal, smashing into the floor. "W-Who are you?" the man at the podium cried out.

A young man with silver hair and another boy with blonde hair appeared on the screen. The silver-haired boy was toting a large key-shaped blade and the blonde was carrying a sleek gunblade. The man at the podium ran off screen and Riku chased after the Sorceress.

Seifer turned towards the downed camera. "Timber team, I hope you're watching," he growled. "Your orders have been mildly altered. Get your asses to the TV station, pronto."

Squall's heart jumped into his throat. Riku and Seifer were here! "Let's go!" he cried, charging up the stairs towards the station, followed by his comrades.

The trio reached the TV station quickly enough to see Seifer charge offstage and down a hallway. Squall led the way after him, winding through the hallways into a large auditorium-like room at the back of the station. It was obviously another production studio.

Riku stood with the Oblivion drawn, staring down Sorceress Edea as Seifer and the Timber group entered the room. The SeeD stopped directly behind Riku and armed themselves, looking up at the Sorceress.

"Cursed SeeD!" Edea cried. "How dare you make a feeble attempt at assassination, especially to one as magnificent as myself."

"Shut it!" Riku cried.

"Assassination?" Zell blurted, an eyebrow rising in confusion.

"Your orders had been changed to help in the assassination of the Sorceress Edea," Seifer growled, not looking away from the woman.

Squall's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything.

"I'm shaking in my skin," Edea cackled.

"_Enough_!" Riku leapt up into the air, towards the Sorceress. Edea threw her arm out and Riku stopped in midair and flew back, smashing into the auditorium wall.

"Riku!" Selphie cried. She twirled around and launched one end of her nunchaku towards the Sorceress, but she didn't flinch as the weapon glanced off of an invisible field, harmless.

"I become bored of this," Edea said, looking around the room slowly. "I tire of your mundane tactics."

"Mundane this!" Seifer cried. He charged the Sorceress, the Hyperion behind him menacingly. He launched into the air and up onto the stage. He ducked forward and came up with the gunblade, but a strange flame engulfed the SeeD and he flew back, landing on his back on the stage. He lay there, motionless.

"Seifer!" Squall shouted, anger overcoming him. He rushed forward, Selphie and Zell following him. The three of them launched up onto the stage, but Edea had other plans. She waved both of her arms in a cross pattern and raised one arm into the air. Zell and Selphie flew back, pushed offstage by a strange, unseen force, leaving Squall alone to face the Sorceress.

Squall brandished the Gunblade and growled. "This is for Seifer!" he cried. He lurched forward into a flat run and brought the Gunblade down in a vertical slash against his foe.

Edea smiled as the Hyperion parried the blow and forced Seifer and Squall into a bladelock. Squall's eyes widened as Seifer's eyes, devoid of luster, devoid of life, glared back at him without emotion. Seifer broke the bladelock and kicked Squall back, who fell to his knee near the edge of the stage.

"Seifer," Squall whispered in disbelief. "Snap out of it."

"I see you have met my knight," Edea said, stroking Seifer's shoulder lovingly. "He shall be your downfall, SeeD, as plainly as you brandish that lovely weapon."

Squall's eyes fell on Edea's hand, stroking Seifer's shoulder slowly and mockingly. With each moment the Sorceress was in physical contact with Seifer, rage welled up inside of Squall. _Don't touch him,_ Squall's mind tormented him with forcing his eyes to watch her stroke his arm.

"Now, my knight," Edea said, stepping back. "Crush him."

* * *

DUN DUN DUNNNNN!

This is where the game and my story kind of begin to separate.

I am very sorry for taking so long with this chapter. The next one will be very exciting, so I think I'll be able to get it up quickly. R&R, please!


	11. Chapter 11, Chosen

Just so you know, I do not have writer's block, I have just been having a slight "I don't feel like writing" ………thingie. In any case, I shall probably work on this a bit more for a while, so yayness.

Haha…I'm listening to the soundtrack to Anastasia while I type up a battle scene. How funny.

* * *

.oO(One Day Too Many)Oo.

* * *

Chapter 11: Chosen

* * *

Squall's eyes teared as Seifer stared him down with dead, cold eyes, unemotional eyes that showed him how little he was truly in control of himself. _No,_ Squall cried silently, squinting the tears out of his eyes. Teardrops fell down his cheeks as he stood up and brandished his Gunblade.

"Strike him down, but make him suffer," Edea commanded her knight. "I wish to see him squirm."

Seifer launched himself at Squall, bringing the Hyperion up from below in an upward arc. Squall parried and turned into a twirl that resulted in a diagonal slash. Seifer parried that blow and countered with a fiery blast of magic that threw Squall back, off of the stage. Squall fell into a backflip and landed on his feet, his jacket slightly singed. Squall readied his blade again as he saw Seifer leap off of the stage in a fierce downward slash. Squall rolled to the side quickly and the two became engulfed in a beautiful dance of flashing blades and deadly counterassaults. Neither SeeD was gaining ground on the other, and Squall knew why.

_We trained together so frequently that we know each other's moves before he uses it,_ Squall realized as he dodged a horizontal slash prior to the slash beginning.

Apparently, Seifer realized this as well. Seifer stopped attacking and placed the Hyperion up to his face, holding the blade with one hand and the grip with the other. Suddenly the blade burst into flame and the soldier assaulted his lover once more. Surprised by this tactic, Squall was almost incapable of parrying quick enough and ducked into a roll to the side. Seifer followed his motions easily and readied the downward blow when someone smashed into the blonde SeeD, throwing him against the stage.

"Riku!" Squall cried, surprised.

Riku stood silently, watching Seifer steady himself. Oblivion was gripped tightly in Riku's right hand and his eyes were full of loathing.

Seifer launched himself at Riku and the two of them entered a dance very similar to the two gunblade specialists'. It didn't last long, for when Seifer locked their blades, Riku pulled down on Oblivion violently, hooking the bladed tip of the keyblade around Hyperion and, with a twist, wrenched the weapon out of Seifer's hands. Throwing the gunblade behind him and twirling to point Oblivion at Seifer's throat in one smooth motion, Riku had won.

Edea's eyes were filled with as much loathing as Riku's when she saw this. "Worthless creature," she growled at Seifer.

Seifer's eyes flashed and his arms went up to grab Oblivion's shaft. Electricity coursed through the keyblade and sent Riku reeling in pain and disorientation. Seifer ducked into a forward somersault, picking up Hyperion in the process, and he came up with a parried blow against the Oblivion.

"Riku, Seifer, stop!" Squall cried.

Seifer ducked down quickly and swept Riku's feet out from under him, sending the keyblade master down to the ground. Seifer twirled around and sent a fiery incantation at Squall, who was caught in surprise. The brunette SeeD went sprawling into the wall, smashing his head on the hard structure and passing out as he slunk to the floor.

Seifer twisted around again and Riku was in his face with Oblivion locked against Hyperion, but before Riku could disarm his foe again, Seifer had sent a hard kick to the white-haired boy's ribs. Riku grunted and fell back, away from his opponent, and Seifer launched another volley of strikes against him. Riku parried most of them, dodged the others, and countered with a single uppercut with Oblivion that sent Seifer reeling back, onto the floor. Hyperion fell away from the blonde's grip, landing out of reach of the SeeD.

Riku approached his downed opponent and pointing the menacingly dark tip of Oblivion at Seifer's throat.

"Let him go, Sorceress," Riku said in a low growl.

"I shall lose him," Edea said with a smirk, "but I shall not lose my knight." Her arms crossed themselves and one arm raised into the air. The same strange flames that had engulfed Seifer before erupted from the defeated blonde's body and wrapped themselves around Riku's form. Riku let out a scream and backed up, smacking into the edge of the stage.

Edea smiled as the flames subsided and Riku stood up straight, silent as the dead. He turned to Edea, his eyes lifeless and empty.

"What is your wish, my Mistress?" Riku asked, taking to one knee in the presence of the Sorceress.

"I believe you will do much more nicely than that blonde buffoon," Edea said, turning her back to Riku, who was staring at the floor in respect. "I think we have done enough damage for one day. We shall destroy them another day, when you have rested and are at your full fighting potential. It's more fun to kill them while they're awake anyway," she added with a slight chuckle. Riku chuckled as well.

Edea crossed her arms and a strange ripple of energy found itself flying through the silent air of the room. Another ripple of energy was sent out, and a third, and Riku and the Sorceress were gone.

* * *

Squall's eyes fluttered open to look up into the handsome blonde face of Seifer. He started to get up, but Seifer's strong hands pushed him back to the bed.

"No way, stay down," Seifer scolded with a smile. "You were hit. Sorry about that."

Squall smiled weakly. "No problem," he managed to whisper.

Rinoa looked over at Squall from leaning up against a nearby wall. "You okay over there?" she called.

Squall grunted in response. "He's fine," Zell chuckled. "He just needs a little TLC."

Zell approached the wounded brunette, but Seifer pushed him away. "And I'll be the one who gives it to him, Chicken-wuss."

Zell fumed, but turned and leaned against the opposite wall in the small bedroom in which they were staying.

Selphie appeared from a stairwell. "Galbadia's pulled out of Timber for some odd reason. Only the guards that are normally stationed here will continue to be here."

"That's good to hear," Rinoa said with a sigh. "At least things will return to some semblance of normalcy around here."

"So, Princess, what are you going to do now?" Zell asked Rinoa.

Rinoa shrugged. "With the Forest Owls base out of commission, we're washed up for now. I'll have to sit out for a while. What about you guys? By now, Balamb Garden has already been reported as the instigator of the assassination attempts."

"SeeD instruction states that we head for the nearest Garden if transportation to our home Garden isn't available," Squall muttered from his place on the bed.

"That'd be Galbadia Garden, right?" Seifer asked.

Zell nodded. "How would we get there from here?" he asked Rinoa.

"I can take you there," she said with a grin.

Selphie raised an eyebrow. "What? You can't go! You're not a SeeD!"

Rinoa huffed. "That doesn't mean I can't show you the way! We'll hitch a train towards the northwest and I'll take you through the forest that leads to Galbadia Garden. After that, I'll hitch a train ride back here, how's that?"

"Sounds like a plan," Seifer said, not looking at the dark haired woman. "We could use a guide while Squallie's under the weather."

Squall turned his head to look Seifer in the eyes. The life was in them; he was Seifer. Squall raised a hand and brushed Seifer's cheek. "You're you, right?" he asked.

Seifer pressed Squall's hand against his cheek and grinned. "Yep, it's me."

Squall smiled, but it quickly faded. "What about Riku? What happened?"

Everyone lapsed into silence, and Rinoa looked around them, confused. "What?" she blurted.

"He was gone when we came to," Zell said quietly.

"We're thinking either that the Sorceress kidnapped him or he's…" Selphie trailed off and couldn't finish the rest of her sentence.

No one said anything for a moment, then Squall slowly raised himself to his elbows on the bed. "Let's get going," he muttered.

Seifer glanced down at his lover, worried, but he didn't want the others to see his "weakness." "Are you sure?" he asked the brunette.

Squall nodded. "Let's get out of here before Galbadia changes its mind."

Seifer helped Squall to his feet and the group headed downstairs and out of the house in which they had been hiding. Rinoa led the group to the train station, directly towards a specific rail that said "Central Galbadia" on a hanging sign outside the dock.

"This train will take us near Obel Lake," Rinoa said, motioning to the train. "We can hike it from there to Galbadia Garden."

"Let's get on, then," Selphie said heavily, her normal spunk vanished.

The group purchased their tickets and trudged onto the train without a word.

* * *

There, that'll make some of you happy. WHEE! This was a fun chappie to write. R&R or I'll switch Seisei back to being the knight XD 


	12. Chapter 12, Forest Dream

...this file has been sitting in document storage since August. Sorry.

* * *

.oO(One Day Too Many)Oo.

* * *

Chapter 12: Forest Dream

* * *

The train ride to the northern part of Galbadia was boring, if anything, and the group departed at the station near Obel Lake, just like Rinoa had told them. Once everyone was off the train, Rinoa spun around and halted suddenly, her finger pointing out in a seemingly random direction.

"Thataway!"

Rinoa led the group across a not-very-busy road and into a small, forested enclosure between two plateaus. Selphie recognized the landscaping from her geography classes, and she was confident that Rinoa was on the right trail.

The group paused for a break in the middle of the forested area, regaining their breath for the remainder of the trek to Galbadia Garden. Selphie and Zell were off to one side of the path, Rinoa was sitting in a small bed of clovers, and Squall and Seifer were cuddled on a large rock on the other side of the path.

"Get a room," Zell called, disgusted at their blatant display of affection.

"We have one," Seifer shot back, "but we can't reach it from here, so shut the hell up, Chicken-wuss."

Zell fumed, but didn't say anything.

"You know he's just jealous," Squall whispered in Seifer's ear.

"Shit, I know that!" Seifer laughed. "That's why I love to rub it in his face!"

Seifer noticed Rinoa staring at the two of them, one eye slightly closed more than the other, perfecting a "deep in thought" expression. "Hey. Mistress Raven. Enough with the staring contest."

Rinoa blushed and turned away.

"That was mean," Squall whispered.

"Don't I know it, but no one looks at my Squallie," Seifer replied, giving Squall's butt a pinch and his lips a quick kiss.

Squall would have replied, but he felt a strange buzzing in his head. His ears started to ring and he suddenly felt very tired. Leaning against his tree, Zell, too, was slumping, shaking his head, and smacking his temple with the heel of his hand to keep himself awake. Rinoa drooped her head forward, between her knees, her eyes closed. Suddenly, she fell backwards, collapsing in the bed of clovers. Squall fell forward, leaning entirely on Seifer, asleep. Zell crouched down against the tree and his head fell back, supported by the sturdy trunk, as he, too, drifted off.

"Hey, what's going on?" Seifer demanded, shaking Squall, who wouldn't respond.

Selphie examined Zell. "Looks like they're in the 'dream world,'" she replied.

"What?" Seifer shook Squall again. "You mean this has happened before? What do we do?"

"We don't know what caused it last time," Selphie said, her brow furrowed. "Eventually, they'll wake up. Just be patient."

Seifer hugged Squall close to him and nodded. "Okay."

* * *

Laguna stopped dead in his tracks and looked around. Kiros and Ward were right behind him, and almost smashed into him from his sudden stop. 

"What's up?" Ward asked.

Laguna shouldered his gun. "I, uh, had the map upside down."

Kiros let his head droop. "You're kidding."

"You mean we've been running around all this time with a map that's been leading us away from where we needed to go?" Ward demanded. He set his harpoon down and sat on it.

"Hey! It's not my fault!" Laguna cried, turning to his comrades. There was a moment of silence and Laguna chuckled. "I guess it is my fault, huh?"

Kiros looked over at his fair skinned friend. "Yes."

Ward nodded. "Totally."

Laguna chuckled nervously and turned away from his friends. "Well fine then, we'll just keep heading this way until we find something!" He took off at a dash, followed closely by Kiros and Ward.

The three of them came to a fork in the road among some machinery that was toting rocks and dirt down a conveyor belt. Laguna looked over at the conveyor belt and shuddered. "I wonder where we are," he muttered.

"We'd know if you had used the map correctly," Kiros said, also looking at the rocks as they traveled down, out of sight.

"I wonder what these rocks are for?" Ward wondered aloud.

"Headstones, maybe?" Laguna suggested.

"Dude, don't joke like that when we're lost," Ward rumbled.

Motion caught Kiros' attention. "Guys, I don't think we're alone." He turned to face a soldier in a rather mechanical-looking getup.

"Esthar soldiers?" Laguna cried. He chuckled. "Looks like I brought us to the right spot after all. I mean, we are here to fight the Esthar army, are we not?"

"Laguna?" Kiros called.

"Yes?"

"Not a good time."

"Right."

The soldier charged the three of them, but the Galbadian soldiers turned tail and fled, deeper into the conveyor belts and mechanical equipment. They came to a ladder and headed down, hoping to lose the Esthar soldier.

Reaching the bottom, Laguna looked over at the others. "Okay, now what?" he asked.

"You're the 'leader' here, you tell us," Kiros muttered.

Something shiny caught Laguna's eye. "Ooh, look at this key!" he cried triumphantly. He picked it up and put it in his back pocket. "I dunno what it's to, but I bet it's important to the Esthar army!"

"…Or," Kiros considered, "it could be useless junk that you grabbed because it was shiny."

"Keys are never junk!" Laguna cried. "They unlock treasure chests and hidden doors and all sorts of good stuff!"

Ward blinked in confusion. "Have you been playing Final Fantasy again?" he asked the smaller man.

Laguna blushed. "Maybe just a little."

Laguna turned to head down the rather brightly colored hallway and he stopped. "Wow, sure is colorful here," he muttered. He blinked. "Are you guys cold?"

Kiros shook his head. "No, why?"

"I'm feeling a draft on my butt," Laguna whispered. Kiros blushed.

Laguna turned towards his friends and patted his behind. "There's a hole in my pocket!" he cried. "I dropped the key!" He bent down and began searching for it, but to no avail. He stood up and looked as if he was about to cry.

"Let it go, Laguna," Ward said, laying a comforting hand on the gunman's shoulder. Laguna sniffed and nodded, turning to head down the hall.

The three Galbadians headed down the hallways and crossed a couple doors inlaid into the floor. Laguna stopped. "Hey!" he laughed. "We should set a trap for the Esthar soldiers!"

Kiros didn't look impressed. "Come again?"

"Watch this!" Laguna bent down and began to tinker with a lever beside the middle door in the floor.

"Uh, Laguna? I don't think you should be messing with that!" Ward warned.

"Aw, quit your bellyaching," Laguna replied, standing up. "Now, when the soldiers come after us, they'll fall in! But we'll have to be careful not to come back this way."

Kiros looked down at the door. "And you're sure about this?"

Laguna grinned. "Of course!"

Laguna turned and headed off, down the hall, followed by his companions. As they rounded the corner, Laguna heard a loud click, followed by a long scream that faded out until a small crunching sound was heard. Laguna cringed.

The group made its way to a corner near a stack of pylons. Laguna noticed something on the ground. "Look! Another key!"

"Is it the same one?" Kiros asked.

Laguna bent down and picked it up. "Nope, this one's different," he relayed. He stood up and tucked it into his chest pocket. "I'll put you in here so I know where you are at all times!"

Ward chuckled and Kiros shook his head.

Laguna rubbed his nose and sniffled. "Damn draft's got me all sick now," he muttered. Suddenly, "ACHOO!" Laguna doubled over in a great heave of a sneeze.

A small clinking sound was heard.

"NO!" Laguna shrieked. "The key!" He sighed and let his head droop.

"Leave it, and let's get out of here," Kiros instructed. "These halls are beginning to hurt my eyes."

Laguna nodded and trudged off, down the hall.

Entering a new hallway, Laguna saw a large boulder and a big hole not far from it. The group followed the hallway up a gentle slope and saw a larger boulder next to a detonator, sitting on the floor. The detonator had a blue and a red button, and a red wire connected to something right beneath the massive boulder right next to them, and a blue wire connected the detonator to the smaller boulder in the previous hallway.

"Detonator," Kiros warned Ward. Ward nodded.

"Look!" Laguna cried in ecstasy. "A detonator!"

Kiros and Ward backed up. "Laguna, please don't mess with that."

"Worry-wart!" Laguna chided. He picked up the detonator and examined it. "It looks like the red button works the explosive underneath this big boulder, and the blue button works it on that smaller boulder in the other room."

"Can we please just find a way out of here already?" Kiros asked.

Laguna waved a hand dismissively at Kiros. "Hollon just a sec, okay?" He toyed with the detonator in his hands for a few seconds. "If I press the blue button, the smaller boulder will get blown up. That's pretty far away, right? We should be able to stay here and not be hurt."

"Laguna, no!" Kiros cried, reaching out a hand, but before he could reach his dark haired friend, Laguna had already hit the blue button.

There was a massive blast that threw all three soldiers off of their feet. "Woah!" Laguna cried.

Laguna stood up and headed down the hall towards the smaller boulder and saw that it had moved and fallen into the hole, creating a rather nice-looking walkway. "Woo!"

Laguna returned to the detonator switch and tinkered with its controls. "I'm setting the red button to delayed," he warned the others. "This way, we can run up and be out of harm's way! Aren't I great?"

Kiros didn't look all that enthused. "You're a genius," he muttered, emotionless.

Laguna set the timer on the detonator and hit the button. "Run for it!" he cried. The three of them ran up the slope and up some stairs at the top, stopped, and waited for the blast.

Silence.

"What, no big kaboom?" Laguna demanded, confused. He and the others headed back down the stairs and saw that the boulder had, in fact, rolled down the hall, over the smaller boulder in the hole, ran over an Esthar troop, and clogged a hole in a wall down the hall a ways.

"Bummer for him," Laguna muttered. He turned and headed back up the stairs.

The three of them came to a hallway that was crystalline pink. Daylight shone down from a hall with stairs in it on their right.

"Daylight?" Kiros questioned. "Let's go."

The three Galbadian soldiers made their way up into the bright sunlight. Looking at their surroundings, they noticed that they were standing on top of a massive cliff, overlooking the sea. Fjords were everywhere.

"Where are we?" Laguna asked.

"I don't have any idea," Kiros replied, his dark eyes surveying the landscape.

Ward bumped into Kiros. "Uh, guys," he rumbled.

Laguna and Kiros turned to find two mechanized Esthar guards rushing at them. Laguna readied his machine gun and whooped. "Let's get 'em, boys!" he cried.

Laguna's eyes fluttered open. He was lying on his back, the sun gleaming down on him, giving his face a nicely needed tan. He turned his head to the left to see Kiros lying facedown in the dirt, breathing irregularly.

"Kiros? You alright over there?" Laguna called.

Kiros coughed and nodded. "I think so," he was able to mutter.

Laguna turned his head to the right and saw Ward laying there, his hands clutched to his throat.

"Ward? What's wrong?" Laguna asked.

Ward didn't say anything.

"I think his throat's been hit," Kiros said, sitting up. He was recovering much faster than Laguna or Ward.

"Let's get out of here," Laguna said, recovering his strength and sitting up.

Laguna stood up and looked around. "Where? Down a sheer cliff face?" Kiros asked.

"There's a boat down there," Laguna said, pointing over the cliff's edge. "Maybe we can drop down and swim to it."

Ward grunted and Kiros shook his head. "Yeah, right. Like we could survive a fall like that."

Laguna chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Could be worse, I suppose," he chuckled again. "It could be raining!" Suddenly, Laguna broke into hysterical laughter at his own nonjoke, somewhat worrying Kiros.

Laguna's foot slipped.

"SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-" Laguna could be heard the entire height of the cliff face, until a small splash was heard below.

"Laguna!" Kiros cried. Ward was up, on his feet, and diving off the cliff before Kiros knew what had happened. Kiros shook his head. "This is madness! Laguna Loire, I'll kill you if you survived!" Kiros was up, dashing for the edge.

Kiros lifted off, opened his arms wide, and let the adrenaline take over as he swan dived straight off the cliff's edge.

* * *

Squall's eyes fluttered open and he moaned softly. Seifer's face was there in moments, looking deeply into Squall's eyes.

"Hey. You okay?" the blonde asked.

Squall took a moment to reorient himself before nodding.

Rinoa and Zell were also waking, and Selphie was rushing between the two of them to make sure that they were both okay.

"What happened?" Seifer asked.

"Was it Sir Laguna?" Selphie asked.

Squall nodded. "Some kind of old excavation facility?"

Zell nodded.

"That was odd," Rinoa said, a hand on her head. "And this has happened to you guys before?"

Selphie nodded. "We don't know why, or how, but it happened on our way to Timber."

Seifer shook his head. "Well, I say we wait and rest a little before we head out."

Squall stood up. "I'm fine, Seifer."

"You sure?" the blond asked, his look of worry very cute in Squall's eyes.

Squall nodded.

"Let's move out, then!" Seifer said, his regular air of dominancy returning to him. "Let's get this show on the road, people." He led the way down the path until Rinoa ran ahead of him.

"What's the deal, Miss Raven?" Seifer scowled.

"You don't know the way, do you?" Rinoa asked, not looking back at the man.

Silence from Seifer.

Rinoa smiled triumphantly. "Didn't think so."

* * *

Hope RavenMistress doesn't mind me using her name, I just figured it'd be a good one for Rinoa, considering her hair is really dark. 

That's all for now. I'll be on hiatus until who know when, so just keep an eye on to see when the next one comes up! And don't forget about my Kingdom Hearts fanfics, Complete Acceptance and Twilight Gaze.

R&R please! Talkatchy'all later.


	13. Chapter 13, Irvine

Well, back in the saddle, decided to go ahead and post a new chappie. Wootness!

-

Oo. One Day Too Many .oO

-

Chapter 13: Irvine

-

Rinoa led the group out of the forest without a single problem, which mildly surprised Squall and Seifer. Sora, Zell, and Selphie tagged along behind, making sure that the group wasn't surprised by some stray Funguars or anything like that. Before long, the six of them were standing on the desolate plains of northern Galbadia. In the distance, once could see the massive spires of Galbadia Garden, the largest of the three educational facilities on the planet. It was also their destination.

"You can see for miles," Sora commented, raising a hand to block his eyes from the now-brutal sun as he looked around the area. The keybearer was right – you could even see the ocean off to the north, which was nearly two miles away. Garden was just over two miles, and you could still see it. This area of Galbadia was so sparse of vegetation, the group wondered if they'd be able to forage for food if they needed it.

Zell's stomach grumbled. "Hungry," he whimpered. Selphie shot him a pathetic look, but a strange annoyance was mixed in her eyes.

"We can eat when we get to Garden," Squall said coldly. "Let's go." He and Seifer led the way now, Rinoa falling in behind Squall. Her eyes wandered up and down his tight little body. He was much taller than her, but she didn't mind – she liked taller guys. Her eyes caught the top of Seifer's head and she grinned. He was even taller, and cuter than Squall was. She didn't like his attitude, though, and after the dance incident back in Balamb, she didn't really want anything to do with him. Her grin had vanished and she had returned to scoping out Squall's ass.

Zell raised an eyebrow as he noticed Rinoa's stares. He followed her line of vision and caught Squall's tight ass, showing very nicely through his black jeans. Zell raised the other eyebrow and joined Rinoa in blindly following that wondrous little icon of masculinity.

Selphie sighed, shouldering her nunchaku and making sure that there were no monsters behind them. Even now, in the middle of the day, the moon was evident, and Selphie looked up at it, throwing silent curses at it for the curse that mankind had to live through. She was mildly worried, though. She liked to keep up with lunar calendars and astrology. She found it highly entertaining. Was she the only one in the group that realized how close it was to another Lunar Cry? She shivered. Every 80 years…

Seifer stopped for a moment and looked around. Nothing was even thinking of being close to the group; not a single monster, not a single person, nothing. He was kind of confused. Galbadia didn't have the security it used to, evidently. Perhaps it was the fact that they were so close to Garden, which was supposed to be a neutral organization. The blonde shrugged and continued onward.

The group finally came to the mile mark and stopped for a five minute break. They'd been moving nonstop since Timber, and they felt that it was about time for a rest. Sora broke out the water bottles, which everyone graciously accepted, due to the unbearable sun. The barren landscape didn't do well to supply the group with comfortable seating, however, and they had to be content to sit upon large rocks that formed a tight circle.

Taking a swig of his water bottle, Zell sighed. "Almost there, eh?" he said with his normal, bouncy attitude. He reached over and slugged Sora playfully in the arm, which Sora ignored. Sora didn't want to risk overheating, which evidently the hyperactive blonde was ignorant of.

"Looks like it," Rinoa said, peering past Squall to gaze at the ever-looming spires of Garden. Her eyes found their way back to the SeeD member's sturdy build, only to realize what he was wearing out in this unbearable sun.

"Aren't you hot?" Rinoa asked Squall. "You're wearing leather and fur out in this heat! It has to be uncomfortable."

Squall shrugged. "I can handle it."

Rinoa's face cinched into a look that said, "fine, be that way." Seifer saw this and laughed. He leaned over to his lover and whispered into his ear, "Why don't you take that jacket off? You're likely to overheat."

Squall didn't say anything at first; he just looked at Rinoa out of he corner of his eye. As soon as he sighed and began reaching for the hem of his jacket, Rinoa's face uncinched and her eyes lit up. Zell's did, as well.

Seifer removed his leather gloves and placed them in the pocket of his trench coat while Squall peeled off his leather jacket, revealing his gray undershirt. It was just the right size for him, normally showing off his nicely developed upper body, but sweat caused it to cling to every curve of his torso, revealing his chiseled abs and defined chest. Zell absentmindedly licked his lips and Rinoa blushed before turning away. Sora and Selphie just laughed.

"Shall we get a move-on?" Selphie asked, jumping up from her rock after she stopped laughing. "It's only a few minutes away."

The group grudgingly rose from its perch on the rocks and began to slowly make its way towards Galbadia Garden. The trip was uneventful – Seifer was on edge from the apparent lack of security and monsters, and Selphie was constantly staring up at the moon. Sora noticed this, but decided not to inquire.

Before long, the group was standing on the hard, concrete flooring of Galbadia Garden. They walked down the tree-lined front path to meet a particularly military-looking young man in a Garden uniform. He saluted them with the SeeD salute as they approached, which everyone but Rinoa returned. Rinoa noticed this immediately and felt somewhat excluded, hanging her head momentarily. Her dismay was short lived, however, as one who could only be an instructor approached the group.

"Ah, the Balamb representatives," he said, giving the group a salute. "Welcome to Galbadia Garden."

"You must be Headmaster Martine," Squall said, returning the salute. "Were you updated on our situation?"

Martine nodded. "We were. Please, come inside and make yourselves comfortable."

Martine led the way into Galbadia Garden. The main building was a fiery, crimson red spire rising up to a massive point and glimmered in the brutal sunlight. The immediately surrounding grounds were green with grass and trees, shrubs, and the like. It was very well tended. Inside, the group took in the sheer size of the Garden. Three floors of classrooms were visible, although people generally were only seen on the first two. A beautiful spotlight was shining down on the center of the four-way lobby, showing the Directory.

The guests made their way to the Directory, led by the Headmaster, only to stop in the center of the lobby. Martine turned to his guests.

"I'm afraid I have some business to attend to," he explained with a hint of apology in his voice. "Please make yourselves comfortable. There is a lounge on the second floor especially for guests, if you feel the need to sit down. I shall return as soon as I can." With that, the Headmaster turned and headed down one of the four hallways leading out of the lobby.

Squall turned to Seifer and the two of them nodded, turning down the hallway that would lead up to the lounge as indicated by the Directory. Rinoa, Sora, Selphie, and Zell stood there in front of the Directory somewhat awkwardly.

"Any place you want to check out?" Selphie asked, investigating the Directory.

Sora shook his head and shrugged. "Not really."

"Should we just go to the lounge, then?" Zell asked, his eyes following Seifer and Squall.

"Oh, go on, we know why you want to be in the lounge," Sora said, crossing his arms and chuckling.

Zell grinned from ear to ear and took off at a jog after the two other men. Selphie followed Zell with her eyes and then looked over at Sora. "D'ya think it's a good idea to send him in there with just the two of them?" she asked.

"What could it hurt?" Sora asked. "It's not like they'd be having sex or anything."

"They don't like having Zell around if they're alone," Selphie reminded the keybearer. She added, "Plus, it's Squall and Seifer. I wouldn't be surprised if they _were_ having sex about now."

Sora blushed and turned his back to the Directory, looking out the entrance. "Fine, if you're worried, you go. I don't want to walk in on that."

Selphie turned her head to look down the hallway that Zell and the others had gone down. "I dunno. Maybe he'll be okay."

Rinoa walked over to a student couch and sat down with a sigh of relief. "It feels good to sit on cushions again," she said with a smile. She looked to her left and noticed a young man in a light brown trench coat. He had black leather gloves on, a cowboy hat that matched his coat, and long brown hair. He was a very handsome man, looking off at the opposite side of the lobby.

"Hello," Rinoa said shyly, attempting to get the man's attention. "Are you a student here?" she asked.

The man looked over at Rinoa and blinked. He took off his hat and nodded his head. "I sure am, ma'am. Can I do something for ya?"

Rinoa was taken aback by the man's attitude. He was 180 degrees from Seifer's personality. "Not really, I was just curious. You weren't wearing a uniform like everyone else here."

The man laughed lightly. "I'm not a SeeD, ma'am. Only SeeD wear fancy uniforms like that."

"I see." Rinoa turned her attention back to Sora and Selphie, who were chatting about the sky up at the Directory.

"I don't pay attention to the moon that much," Sora admitted. Selphie crossed her arms. "It's way the hell up there, right? So why worry?"

"The moon is the home of every monster that has ever been seen on this planet," Selphie said sternly. "Every 80 years, they come down to the planet and wreak havoc. I can't believe a responsible person like you doesn't worry about the Lunar Cry, Sora."

Sora shrugged, his disintrest in the conversation bleeding through. "Sorry."

A shriek flooded the lobby, issuing Selphie's massive nunchaku to be drawn, as well as Sora's Keyblade. They turned to the source of the shriek: Rinoa, standing straight up from where she had been sitting.

"Rinoa, what happened?" Sora asked.

Rinoa stumbled forward and grasped Sora by the shoulders. "I've been robbed!" she cried. "Someone took my wallet!"

Selphie raised an eyebrow. "Where do you keep a wallet on that bodice of yours?" she asked.

Rinoa made a face at the girl in the yellow sundress, then pointed at a pocket at her side, on the blue vest she wore.

"Ah," Selphie said simply, making a move towards the exit.

"Where are you going?" Rinoa shrieked. "My wallet's gone! We have to catch the thief!"

"The entrance is the only logical exit that the thief could take," Selphie answered without looking at Rinoa. "I'll go stand guard and if I see anyone suspicious, I'll stop them and interrogate."

"What if the thief isn't looking to leave the Garden?" Rinoa asked. "It could be a student."

"Then we go look for the robber," Sora replied. He took Rinoa by the arm and pulled her to a hallway. "You go down that hall and look for anyone who looks like they might have something to do with stealing your wallet. I'll go down another hallway and we'll see if we can't pin them down."

Rinoa nodded.

"Do you have any idea who might have taken it?" Sora asked.

Rinoa thought. She didn't know anyone at Garden. Only…

"Yes!" Rinoa cried, pounding one affirming hand into another. "He's wearing a brown trench coat and a matching cowboy hat."

Sora raised an eyebrow and nodded. "_That_ shouldn't be too hard to find." Sora turned away from Rinoa and headed for another hallway. Rinoa started down her own hall.

Elsewhere, Selphie was talking to a man in a SeeD uniform at the entrance when a young man in a trench coat appeared next to her.

"Hey, there, good lookin'," the man said, placing an elbow on Selphie's shoulder.

"Excuse me, I'm trying to talk to someone," Selphie replied politely.

"Hey, Kin, scram, I saw her first," the man said urgently to the man Selphie was trying to speak with. The SeeD rolled his eyes and left.

Selphie turned and faced the man. "I'm sorry, sir, can I help you with something?"

The man leaned in close and smiled. "Sure can, babe. You can help me with this awful cramp I have."

Selphie raised an eyebrow. "Cramp, you say?"

The man grinned. "Yep. It happens all the time when I get this horrible stiffness in my pants."

Selphie sighed and laughed. "Oh, good! I'm glad!"

The man's head snapped back. "Wha?"

"I thought for a moment you were going to tell me that you were having your period!" Selphie replied. She placed a hand on the man's shoulder and laughed. "I'm so glad you're just going through puberty! Such a relief! I have to tell you, it woulda been kind of awkward if it had been PMS."

The man's eyes widened. The girl had spunk!

Selphie leaned in close. "I can teach you everything you wanted to know about puberty and more, if you'd like," she whispered.

The man grinned. "Sure, okay."

Selphie drew her nunchaku and slammed one of them into the man's crotch. He fell over onto the floor in a massive shout, his hands placed firmly at his groin. He began to writhe on the ground in pain.

"Lesson one: the groin is a very useful weak spot on any guy," Selphie said, shouldering her nunchaku. She began to step away from the man, but something on the ground caught her eye. She crouched down and picked up a brown leather wallet that looked rather feminine for some cowboy to be toting around.

Selphie held the wallet in front of the jerk's face. "Is this girly wallet yours?" she asked sternly.

The man groaned for a moment, then nodded.

Selphie stood up and opened it. The first thing she noticed was a picture of a cute collie. "Such an adorable dog! What's his name?" she asked.

"R…Rufus."

Selphie grinned in triumph down at the writhing man. "Bzzt! Wrong answer! His name is Angelo. Rinoa told me about him on our way here. This is her wallet. You're the thief!" She brandished her nunchaku. "You deserve another 'boy-pounding' for that!"

"N-No! Please!" The man stumbled to his feet, one hand still on his crotch, and darted away as fast as he could, a heavy limp clearly visible in his step.

Selphie laughed giddily and pocketed the wallet and strapped the nunchaku to her back again. She headed down the hall towards the lobby; Rinoa would be ecstatic!

Selphie found Sora before she saw Rinoa. He was asking a female student some questions regarding Rinoa's wallet. When he saw Selphie, Sora smiled. "Did you find him?" he asked.

Selphie nodded and brandished the wallet. "Funny story, actually," she said with an amused smirk.

The duo rushed off to Rinoa's hallway, their footsteps echoing through the mostly-empty lobby. By the time they'd found her, Rinoa had collapsed on a bench in tears.

"Is this yours?" Selphie asked, handing Rinoa the wallet.

Rinoa's eyes widened. "My wallet!" she cried. She took the wallet and threw her arms around Selphie. "Thank you Selphie! Thank you!"

Selphie giggled. "Getting it back was fun, believe me."

"What's this?"

Rinoa let go of Selphie and the three of them looked to the source of the voice to see Squall walking down the hallway towards the trio.

"Squall?" Sora blurted. "Where are Seifer and Zell?"

Squall crossed his arms. "Around."

Sora rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Selphie walked past Squall and looked out into the lobby. Seifer was standing behind Zell with his arms around the blonde's shoulders, draped over his chest. Zell's hands were clasped on Seifer's forearms. They were examining the Directory together.

Selphie returned to the others. "_That_ is something I never expected to see."

Squall smirked at Selphie. "Don't be so surprised. Seifer and I are teaching Zell a lesson."

Selphie smirked back at the silent swordsman. "Oh, yeah, he's _really_ suffering."

Squall chuckled. "Just leave it to us."

Rinoa and Sora both looked at Squall, confused, to which he just chuckled again.

Rinoa sidled up next to Squall and poked him in the shoulder. "Hey, Mr. Leader, I need to talk to you." Squall looked at the raven-haired woman in response. When he didn't say anything, she continued. "As long as I'm with you guys, I think it would avoid some problems if we just said that I was a SeeD, too."

Squall just continued to look at Rinoa, then he looked away from her. "Whatever. Do what you want."

Rinoa, not bothered by Squall's apathy, nodded in affirmation. "Good."

Footsteps sounded down the hall, causing Sora to look over his shoulder. "Hey, guys, it's Martine."

Martine stopped a few feet from the group and gave them a salute, which everyone, including Rinoa, returned. "Glad to see you all together," Martine began.

"Uh, shouldn't Seifer and Zell be here to hear this?" Selphie asked. She turned on her heel and went to fetch the other two.

Martine cleared his throat. "Ah, well, you can fill them in later. Here is your official order from Garden," he said, handing Squall a manila folder. "I cannot stress to you the importance of this mission."

"Really?" Sora mused, his arms crossed behind his head. "I mean, SeeD do all sorts of missions, but can this one be all that important?"

Martine gave a single "heh." "This order was given to you in joint custody of Balamb and Galbadia Gardens."

Sora's hands dropped to his sides, and his lower jaw seemed to come unhinged.

Selphie, Seifer, and Zell walked up behind Squall. "What's Sora doing, catching flies?" Selphie asked, poking the stupefied SeeD in the shoulder.

Martine crossed his arms, not a word escaping his mouth. He seemed to want the order to finish the briefing itself.

Squall removed the order from the file. After looking it over, he looked up at Martine in uncertainty, then to each person in the group individually. He looked back at Martine. "This says 'by way of sniper.' None of us have that particular skill."

Martine nodded. "That was expected. We at Galbadia shall be supplying the sniper to the team. You'll meet him out front." He gave another salute. "Forgive me if I can't see you off. I am Headmaster as well as Master of this Garden; I'm a very busy man."

Squall saluted back to him. "Of course, sir."

"Good luck," Martine said. "Both our Gardens are relying on you." He turned and headed down the hall, away from the group.

Sora's brow twitched as Martine walked away. Something didn't feel right to him. Galbadia Garden and Balamb Garden rarely dealt with each other, let alone give out joint missions.

"Well, what's the order?" Rinoa asked. Seifer, Selphie, and Zell rounded the group and completed the circle of six.

Squall raised the sheet and began to read:

"Under designation of Galbadia Garden of Galbadia and Balamb Garden of Balamb, squad leader Squall Leonhart will lead his group of SeeD through the assassination of the Sorceress Edea."

"We found that out in Timber," Sora commented.

"By way of sniper, the group shall assassinate the Sorceress by order of one General Caraway, and will, until further notice, be one as the Galbadian military."

"By order of who?" Selphie mimicked.

"General Caraway," Seifer repeated. "The General of the Galbadian military."

Rinoa stepped back, bumping into the wall. "You mean we're going to Deling City?" she asked.

"Something wrong with Deling?" Zell asked.

Rinoa hesitated, then she shook her head vehemently. "N-No, nothing."

Squall raised an eyebrow, but left it at that. He looked back at the order. "Okay, then. Let's go meet the sniper so we can get out of here."

The group filed out of the Garden to stand in the green grass out in front of the entrance. They waited there for a few minutes, all the while wondering where their help could be.

"BANG!"

Rinoa jumped out of her skin with a shriek. She turned around and furiously glared at the man who had yelled.

"Lookin' for a sniper?" the man asked.

Squall nodded. "You must be him."

"I am. The name's Kinneas. Irvine Kinneas."

Selphie's ears perked up. She knew that voice. She turned on her heel and looked a the source of the voice to see a long-haired brunette in a brown trench coat and matching cowboy hat.

Selphie and Rinoa were as one person: "YOU!"

Irvine looked up and shouted in surprise. "Oh, crap!"

"What's the problem?" Zell asked.

Sora pointed at Irvine as if he were trying to figure something out. "Hey, that guy looks just like Rinoa's description of the guy who stole her wallet."

Squall narrowed his eyes at Irvine. "You stole one of my teammate's property?" he demanded.

Rinoa's eyes shot to Squall. _Did he just consider me a teammate_?

Irvine put up his open palms, his face forcing a strained grin. "Hey, woah, calm down…she got it back."

Selphie drew her nunchaku. "Only after these babies met your 'babies'."

Seifer looked at Selphie and snickered. Sora wasn't far behind.

"So you're our sniper?" Squall asked, unimpressed.

Irvine nodded and tilted his hat. "Looks that way. I didn't think I'd be working with you pretty ladies and fine gentlemen. I'll behave myself."

"You'd better," Squall whispered. His tone had taken on an acidic tinge.

"Shall we go, then?" Irvine asked. "The train station to the west will take us straight to Deling City."

Rinoa rubbed her left elbow with her right hand in uncertainty. _Going…going back there…_She shook her head, trying to throw such thoughts out of her mind.

"Yeah, let's go," Rinoa said to everyone else.

.oOo.

TA-DA! UPDATED! WOOTWOOT!

Summer break, I should be around a little. I really hate putting chapters up so far apart. I really apologize to all those who actually like this story.

…I wasn't really all that proud of this chapter. I hope I feel a little better about the next ones. But remember that this isn't my only story:'D

Read and review if you like candy. If not, do it anyway and I'll really appreciate it!


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